The Living Key
by NocturneX
Summary: Sephiroth fled the Shinra as a teenager, along with the last two members of the Cetra race. Fortune smiled upon them all when they wound up under the protection of Avalanche. Years later, he attempts to help an old friend, and ends up on an epic journey that will inevitably pit him against the Shinra, his past, and his own dark desires. AeriSeph, Zack/Cissnei.
1. Part 1: A Second Chance: Prologue

Prologue: Icicle Inn

The room was getting dark. He expected that, considering where he'd been shot. How could he have been so naive as to think he wouldn't be tracked down? Perhaps he should have come willingly. Maybe he would have been able to request special treatment, given everything he'd done for the company.

But it was too late for Professor Faremis Gast to have regrets. His former colleague, along with his "bodyguards", had taken his wife and infant daughter, and left him lying on his living room floor to die. A rather pathetic ending for somebody who had once been considered promising...

The room was now growing colder. He knew it wasn't because of the climate.

Suddenly, he felt lighter. He stood up, not wanting to look down and see what he was leaving behind. He tried not to think of anything as he took one step forward.

One thing did manage to pop into his mind, however:

Sephiroth.

He wasn't sure why, but thinking about the boy suddenly comforted him while he took his first steps into the Lifestream.

_I'll watch for you…Ifalna…Aerith..._


	2. Chapter 1: The Boy In The Walls

Chapter 1: The Boy In The Walls

Eight-year-old Sephiroth stepped off the elevator leading to one of the top floors of the Shinra building. As he casually glanced out the window, he could see half of the plate that made up the upper-class part of Midgar. Though he had been born in Nibelheim(or so he'd been told), the giant metropolis that was Midgar was all he had ever been familiar with, until recently.

He had returned from a month-long trip to see all of the Western Continent. For the first time in his short life, he had ridden in a helicopter, been on a boat, and seen all of the important provinces of the large continent. He had seen the mako reactor of Nibelheim. He had traveled over the mountains to the village up north a ways, where the first airplane had been invented by a man named Fenix Highwind(and had been introduced to his ten-year-old grandson, Cid). He had spent time on the beaches of Costa Del Sol, where he'd managed to get sunburned. He was none-too-pleased when his chaperone declared that she would have to inform Professor Hojo about said sunburn. It meant he'd likely be visiting his lab the next morning for another battery of tests. The sun, his caretaker had said, shouldn't have hurt him like it did normal people.

Normal people.

Sephiroth knew he was not "normal people". He knew that he was not _supposed_ to be "normal people". If he got injured like "normal people", it meant more testing so that he would no longer be as vulnerable next time. If he got sick like "normal people", it meant more injections, despite the fact that those usually made him feel even sicker.

The thought of having to see Professor Hojo was making him uneasy. Being in the labs with and of the doctors and scientists was bad enough, but he especially disliked Hojo. Immediately, he began trying to think of something that would keep his mind occupied until he had to face the inevitable.

Just then, his cat-like eyes lit up. Of course! He had sword training tomorrow! Kendo, Fencing, and Iaido back-to-back. The day after that, he had hand-to-hand training. Whether it was stand-up fighting or ground fighting, it didn't matter. All of those things were much more fun than when he simply had to run on a treadmill for two hours each day(even if the treadmills _were_ attached to TV monitors for him to watch his favorite shows on).

He began walking down the corridor, weaving through the various personnel going about their jobs. White labcoats were a familiar sight for the child. If an employee wasn't wearing one, it was because they wore a helmet and the uniform of a soldier.

Soldier or scientist. It was all the same to Shinra Inc.'s "very special young man", as the company president always referred to him as. He was the young man who was going to change the face of the world one day. Everybody kept saying so, even if he didn't understand how.

"Welcome back, Sephiroth."

The boy looked up and saw a young officer dressed in red smiling down at him. Judging by the almost mint condition of his uniform, Sephiroth guessed that the man had recently been commissioned. "Thank you," he said mechanically.

"How was your vacation?" the officer asked.

"It wasn't a vacation," Sephiroth corrected him, "The powers-that-be thought that it would be in my best interests to see these places. I did enjoy learning about the world, though."

"Then I'm glad you had fun," the guard said as he continued on his way.

Sephiroth watched the man for a few seconds, and then continued along the long hallway that led to his quarters. That was certainly different. Most of the soldiers never engaged the boy, much less did so in the friendly manner he did. He was more used to the wary respect that they normally treated him with. Any familiarity tended to unnerve him. He had disliked Costa Del Sol for that very reason. He had found the natives to be intrusive and presumptuous, and had openly recoiled when a young tour guide had put his hand on the boy's shoulder. He had been slightly alarmed when his chaperone explained to him that in the outside world, many people behaved in such a forward manner with one another. It all just seemed ridiculous to him.

Finally, he arrived at the door to the small one-bedroom apartment he lived in alone(apparently something that didn't happen to other eight-year-old boys, but just another reason he was "special", he supposed). Just as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his key card, he stopped, listening carefully.

During his time at Costa Del Sol, he and his caretaker had stayed in a hotel room next-door to a set of new parents. Their screaming baby had unfortunately, kept the boy up half the night, until at last, the caretaker had requested a new room.

There was no mistaking his very sharp ears. There was definitely a baby crying nearby. However, it sounded even more distressed than the baby he'd heard in Costa Del Sol. This one sounded as if it were in great physical pain.

Puzzled, he decided to follow the sound.

As he drew closer, he picked up a new sound: a woman screaming hysterically. He rounded a corner and saw two guards stationed outside the door to one of the labs. He was certain the sounds were coming from behind there.

Strange, but Sephiroth had assumed that he was the only actual person that was subject to examinations there. The Shinra Science department had been his home for as long as he could remember, and he knew the 67th and 68th floors very well. Maybe someone had been injured and they were using the lab as a makeshift hospital?

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" he could hear the woman screaming, "SHE'S JUST A BABY! HOW CAN YOU HURT A HELPLESS BABY LIKE THAT?!"

Sephiroth then heard the unmistakable sound of a hard slap.

"One more word, Cetra, and I will _personally_ silence you!" a familiar voice snapped.

_Hojo._

Sephiroth's blood ran cold. The head of the science department, and his unofficial "caretaker" was in there. Sephiroth hated the man and everything about him. Professor Kazuhiro Hojo was nowhere near the genius that his former colleague Professor Faremis Gast had been. However, Gast had abruptly quit one year ago, without so much as a goodbye. This meant that Hojo was now in charge, much to Sephiroth's chagrin.

"Move along," one of the guards said coldly.

"What's Professor Hojo doing in there?" Sephiroth asked.

"This isn't for you to see," the guard said coldly as he roughly grabbed Sephiroth and shoved him out of the way.

Sephiroth pitched forward and instantly remembered to tuck his head down. Instead of being sent sprawling, he simply rolled forward, and back onto his feet. He glanced behind him and smirked mockingly at the guard, who was growling something under his breath.

Feeling cocky, the boy strutted over to his door. Taking his key card out, he let himself in, and glanced at the clock. He had a few minutes to change into his training clothes, and go up to the next floor for his latest test. Unlike the ones he had to put up with in the labs, this particular test was one he did not mind at all...

* * *

Sephiroth hurried as fast as he could through the tunnel. He may have been an incredibly fast runner, but he was having a lot of trouble maintaining a satisfactory speed while moving on his hands and knees. He would have to double his efforts once he got out of the tunnel.

Finally, he reached the end, and kicked the grate down. He crawled into a hallway that looked to be in utter chaos. Emergency lights were flashing, sirens were going off, and there was blood smeared on the walls. A couple of bodies lay slumped on the floor. Sephiroth growled in frustration. He was supposed to have protected those people. He had arrived too late!

He continued to look carefully around the area, his senses heightened. The faint sound his ears picked up on made him spin around, and he grinned at what he saw.

An enemy soldier charged at him, ready to grab him. Sephiroth was ready, though. He tipped over, tucking his head down, and managed to roll right through the soldier's legs. He got back to his feet, and kept running. He managed to do the same thing with the next one that came his way, only this time, he rolled around his enemy. When the third soldier charged at him, he ran up the side of the wall and flipped backwards, executing a side-kick that sent his target sprawling. The final one, he was simply able to outrun, and with that, he was able to make it to the goal.

The room suddenly changed from a long corridor with emergency lights flashing and blood splattered along the walls, to a plain, empty hallway.

"Not bad, Sephiroth," the technician/trainer said over the loudspeaker, "Especially that side-kick. Hand-to-hand combat is already starting to pay off for you. At this rate, you'll have a sword in your hand by the end of the month when you do these field tests!"

Sephiroth smirked, trying hard not to show how excited he really was.

"I had to dock points off for the tunnel performance. I'll have to let your regular trainer know what's going on as well. You're having a lot of trouble crawling through. I'm sure it's nothing some extra practice can't fix, though."

Sephiroth nodded, having expected that.

"Good thing it'll be a few years before you ever see your first real battle," said the technician, "When the time comes, I'm sure you'll save a lot of people's lives.

"Anyway, I think we're done for the day. You must be pretty hungry after such a workout. You deserve it, though."

The door opened, and Sephiroth sprinted out.

He made his way to the elevator, and saw the guard who had asked him about his trip earlier. He was waiting there, along with President Shinra himself.

"Ah, Sephiroth," the president greeted him, "I'd like you to meet your new bodyguard."

"Aren't Turks supposed to be bodyguards?" Sephiroth asked.

"Normally yes, but I thought a member of SOLDIER might be a better role-model for you, considering your future here," the president explained. He lit up a cigar and took a puff. "Have you met this man?"

"Sort of," said Sephiroth.

"My name's Wolff," the guard said as he took off his helmet, allowing his blond hair to spill over his eyes. He brushed it aside and then extended his hand to Sephiroth.

The boy shook it. "Nice to formally meet you," he said politely.

"I hope the both of you will get along splendidly," said the president, "and that Wolff here will prove to be a good mentor. Feel free to ask him anything about soldier life. Hopefully he can also keep you out of trouble, hmm? I know boys your age start to get curious about everything around them. Best not to poke your nose everywhere, though, right?" He leaned back and chuckled.

Sephiroth instantly understood. The room with the screaming woman...of course.

"Well, I'll be off, now." the president said with a wink, and nodded approvingly at the guard's salute. He took another puff of his cigar, and flicked the ashes onto the floor for some custodian to clean up. With a nod to both Wolff and the boy, he walked off.

_Jerk__…_Sephiroth thought as he glared at the president's retreating overweight figure.

The door opened, and Wolff and Sephiroth got in. They rode the elevator in silence.

Sephiroth had only met the president a handful of times, but he did not like the man at all. He found him to be patronizing, two-faced, and slimy. He often acted like he was everybody's best friend, even though it was obvious to anyone with a brain, that the man clearly had his own agenda. To act like he was looking out for everyone's best interest, especially Sephiroth's, was simply insulting one's intelligence.

At least Hojo didn't put on any act. Everyone knew that Hojo looked out for Hojo. At least Sephiroth could respect that kind of honesty…barely.

Finally, the doors opened and they stepped out.

"Is Wolff your first name, or last name?" Sephiroth asked.

"First."

"In the old days," Sephiroth remarked, "members of the army were addressed by their last names."

"Ever since the president took over from his father," Wolff explained, "the army became much less formal. I guess it gives off a sense of approachability. I'm not sure if it actually works, though. Plenty of people are still scared of me when they see me in my reds."

"So what's your last name, then?" Sephiroth asked curiously.

"Gainsborough," Wolff replied, "Wolff Gainsborough."

"And how old are you?"

"Twenty."

"You think you'll ever make it to first class?"

"I hope so. Elmyra, my fiancee, doesn't believe in daycare, which means I need to be bringing home the big bucks if we ever want kids."

Sephiroth didn't quite understand that last answer, but nodded anyway as they stopped at the entrance to the gym. "This is where I get off," he announced.

"Okay. I'll be waiting when you come out," Wolff told him.

Sephiroth nodded again as he opened the door.

"And Sephiroth?"

The boy paused, looking expectantly at his new bodyguard/mentor, who smiled at him.

"I hope we can become good friends."

"Maybe," Sephiroth said matter-of-factly, "I've never had any friends before, so that might be interesting."

_Poor kid__…_Wolff thought as Sephiroth entered the gym.

* * *

Sephiroth glanced at the clock. It was an hour before his bedtime, during which his caretakers would make sure he had brushed his teeth, put on his pajamas, and was in bed. Then his door was locked from the outside for the next eight hours. That would give him plenty of time to do what he planned.

He had already checked out the space behind the air vent in his room. There was a tunnel exactly like the one in the simulation he had done earlier that day. For all he knew, it was probably modeled after the very same tunnels in the Shinra building. He was going to practice crawling quickly and quietly through the ventilation tunnel. However, he decided to wait at least an hour after "lights out" to make his move.

He decided to kill some time by reading a book by flashlight. It was an account of the cities that the Ancients had built over two-thousand years ago. The hero, Galeas, was a powerful wizard who commanded all of the elements. He had commanded beasts to protect him, and became the leader of an advanced city.

Fairy tales, according to Hojo. For some reason, that man couldn't seem to keep his nose out of Sephiroth's personal life, right down to his tastes in literature. It didn't mean anything, though. Hojo could say what he wanted, but he didn't control what Sephiroth read, which was just fine with the boy.

Finally, he glanced up the clock, and saw it was time. He put the book down, got out of bed, and listened for a moment, making sure nothing suspicious was going on. After a few seconds, he was confident that everything was just fine. He went over to the grate on his wall, and pulled it off as quietly as he could manage. Crawling inside, he pulled the grate back into place, and began his journey through the walls.

Unlike the simulator, this tunnel was dark, and extremely dusty. Neither of these things bothered the child, however. His enhanced eyes could see every outline just as clearly as if it had been daytime, and he simply pulled his shirt over his nose to filter the dust out.

He nearly jumped, however, when he heard a loud, clanging sound. Looking around slightly panicked at first, he then realized it was simply the water heater clanging above him. The pipes must have been constructed right above the vent. He shook his head, and resumed crawling. Rounding a corner, he stopped as he saw how the tunnel now stretched out…exactly the same as in the simulation.

Perfect.

Sephiroth was just about to start counting while he took off, when his ears picked up another sound. He crawled up to another grate and lay still, listening carefully.

It sounded like a woman crying. He suspected it might have been the woman he had heard screaming earlier that day.

He peered carefully through the grate. He couldn't see anyone, but it sounded as if the woman was right next to him. Against his better judgment, he spoke out to her:

"Are you okay?"

As soon as he asked, he felt stupid. The woman was _crying_ for Planet's sake! Of course she wasn't all right!

"Who's there?" he heard her ask.

"Don't worry…" he said, "I'm not a guard or anything."

The woman laughed nervously, in spite of herself. "Well, you sound a little young to be a guard."

"I'm behind the grate leading to the vents," Sephiroth whispered, "Is anyone there with you?"

"Just me and Aerith," the woman said, "Although I know there's guards stationed outside the door."

"Do you mind if I come in?" Sephiroth asked, "I'll be quiet."

"All right," the woman said.

Sephiroth pushed the grate down, still managing to make as little noise as possible. He crawled through, and got to his feet. He looked and saw a young woman with long brown hair lying on a small bed, hastily wiping her green eyes, that seemed to almost glow slightly, though not in the same way his own eyes did. She tried to sit up, but she could barely manage to lean up against the two pillows she had propped up against the wall.

A few feet away from the bed stood a cradle, next to a small desk and chair. The entire room was a fraction of the size of Sephiroth's comfortable one-bedroom apartment. He wondered how he himself could handle living in such tiny quarters.

"There's a pitcher of water on the desk over there…" the woman said pointing across the room, "I'm too weak to get it myself…could you please…?"

Sephiroth tip-toed over to the pitcher and poured a glass of water. He then tip-toed back to the bed and handed her the glass.

"Thank you…" the woman said weakly as she began to drink. When she finished, she put the empty glass on a small nightstand near her bed.

"Do you need this too?" Sephiroth asked as he picked up a bedpan and brought it over.

"Not right now, but thank you," she replied with a slightly amused smile. She then indicated the cradle with her head. "That's my daughter Aerith sleeping in the cradle. My name is Ifalna. What's yours?"

"Sephiroth," the boy answered, "Is the baby okay? She sounded like she was in a lot of pain earlier. I could hear her crying from outside my room."

"She was," Ifalna said as she glanced at the cradle, "They really hurt her this afternoon…but it's over now."

"I hate most of the scientists here," Sephiroth muttered, "They probably made me cry like that when I was a baby as well. Hojo's the worst. He's no scientist. He's a hack compared to Professor Gast."

Ifalna suddenly burst into tears again, biting her fist to suppress her cries.

"Are you in pain?" Sephiroth asked, not knowing what to do, and feeling slightly awkward.

"Gast was my husband…" the woman whimpered, "Hojo had him shot when he wouldn't let them take us…they took us anyway. Oh, my sweet professor…!"

"He's dead?!" Sephiroth whispered in horror, "No! That's not fair! Why?!"

He sank to the ground, blinking back tears of his own, trying as hard as he could not to let them fall.

Aerith began gurgling.

"He's the baby's father, then?" Sephiroth sniffled.

"Yes…I can't even hold her right now. I don't know what it is they injected me with, but I'm so dizzy…"

Aerith began to fuss.

"I can push the cradle over to you if you want," Sephiroth offered as he stood up and wiped his eyes.

"Thank you so much…" Ifalna looked at him, grateful. "You've been so helpful."

Sephiroth said nothing, but pushed the cradle right next to Ifalna's bed. The woman reached in and touched the infant's cheek. Aerith quieted down.

"There's a good girl..." Ifalna whispered soothingly, "Mama can't hold you right now...but I'm right here, little one. Here, I'll hold your sweet little hand..." She touched the infant's hand with her index finger, which Aerith instinctively curled her tiny fingers around. "That's right...go back to sleep. Planet knows you need the rest..."

Sephiroth watched curiously as the young mother continued to whisper words of reassurance to her daughter. Curiously, he felt himself start to relax as well. He suddenly began to feel tired.

"I should go now…" he whispered, "I'm supposed to be sleeping. I'll be punished if they catch me, and I'll never get to use the vents again."

"What were you doing in there?" Ifalna asked as she lay in her bed, watching as Aerith fell back asleep.

"I was practicing for a drill," Sephiroth answered, "I'm training to be a soldier." He couldn't help but look somewhat proud as he continued: "The greatest soldier in history. People say I'm going to be a hero."

"I wish I had a hero right now..." Ifalna sighed. She then caught herself and looked away. "Sorry," she said, ashamed. Given what her late husband had told her about him, she knew he had to be dealing with plenty of his own problems. The last thing he needed was her selfishly piling her own troubles on him.

"It was...nice to meet you," Sephiroth said shyly.

"Would you please come closer?" Ifalna asked.

The little boy stared warily at her, looking slightly confused, but he obeyed finally. Ifalna looked at Sephiroth for a moment, and then reached for him, clumsily pulling him into a tight hug.

"You're a sweet boy…" she whispered, "Don't ever let them change you."

Sephiroth stood there awkwardly, not sure how to respond. Nobody had ever hugged him before.

"Thank you again for the water, and for bringing Aerith over to me. We'll both sleep better tonight, thanks to you."

"It was nothing," Sephiroth whispered as he climbed back into the vent, pulling the grate back in it's place. He then began making his way back to his room.

* * *

"There you are. I was told about the sunburn you experienced on your trip," Hojo said as Sephiroth entered the examination room the next morning.

Sephiroth didn't answer, simply taking off his shirt and looking for his usual gown.

"Don't bother," said Hojo, "I don't need to give you a full exam, and in any case, I'm much too busy. I'm quite confident this will help…" He handed the boy a bottle with no label. "Just rub it on the afflicted parts of your skin like any lotion and you'll be fine. We'll do a skin biopsy during your next check-up to take care of this problem once and for all. I can't have your skin burning. Even the slightest discomfort would be a distraction that could mean the difference between life and death. Not yours, likely, but the soldiers you lead into battle..."

Sephiroth remained silent and let the man ramble on. He always avoided speaking to Hojo unless asked a direct question, but ever since Ifalna had told him about Professor Gast's death, the boy had begun to smell a rat. He spoken to the phlebotomist who came into his room every morning before breakfast to do blood work. When asked about Professor Gast, the woman confirmed that he had indeed passed away…of a heart attack. She didn't seem to be lying to him, but when he had pressed for more information, she had confessed that it was Professor Hojo who had sent the memo out.

He planned to see Ifalna again and ask for more details, but he wasn't sure when. If he didn't get enough sleep, it would start to show, and he had rather enjoyed his excursion through the vents. It was exactly like the simulation, and if it meant he would get a little more practice and do even better, he had all the reason to keep doing it.

It wasn't like he was cheating…right?

"We're done for now," Hojo announced, "You may leave. Rub the lotion on the burned areas once every four hours. I'll advise your trainers as well so you won't forget. Hopefully the burns will be gone by tomorrow morning."

Sephiroth stood up and left without a word.

"...You're welcome!" Hojo snapped.

* * *

A/N: Thank you to (most of) my reviewers!

Destinykeyblade: I've fixed the plot a little and made it a tad more realistic(hopefully).

Guest: Thanks! I'm a fan of the pairing as well, so long as it happens realistically. Too many crappy stories have them falling in love almost instantly, even after he's killed her and they're in the Lifestream together. Altered timeline stories work better for me, and I'm always curious to see how they affect the main plot(usually, it means Zack and Aerith live :D). That's what I intend do to here, and see where the other characters come in.


	3. Chapter 2: The Crack In The Armor

Chapter 2: The Crack In The Armor

"Faster!" Sephiroth's fitness trainer barked as the boy ran on the treadmill.

Sephiroth panted as he tried to catch up to the speed that the trainer had raised the machine to. Nearby, Wolff was beginning to look uncomfortable, but he kept his mouth shut and maintained his post by the door.

They had already spent an entire hour working on army crawls, so as to improve his timing when he did his next weekly simulation. If Sephiroth had been disappointed at his inability to make good time during the tunnel part of the simulation, his fitness trainer had been downright livid. Wolff knew the reason why. He had heard the rumors that the former infantryman's job as Sephiroth's trainer was constantly being threatened whenever the boy didn't perform up to standard. However, as far as Wolff was concerned, the man should have never been employed in the first place. Even though he had once been among the army's best drill instructors, he had ultimately been discharged from duty three years ago, when he had nearly killed one of his subordinates in a fit of rage after a mission that had gone wrong. Why they decided to hire him to train a little boy seemed beyond all reasoning.

Wolff was only now starting to realize how many things were beyond reasoning. At first he had been excited to know how much security clearance he was getting with his new position in the army(along with the rank promotion and higher pay). Now, he could see the worried look on Elmyra's face every time he would show up at her grandmother's house to take her out to on a date. His fiancee was no fool- she could see that the stress was getting to him, even though she knew he wasn't allowed to talk details about work. He wanted so badly to tell her what was going on, but they both knew he was expected to keep Shinra's secrets. His paycheck depended on that, and he was beginning to suspect that his very life might depend on it as well.

The lack of ethics in the science department were appalling. It wasn't just the many animals that were mistreated. The young woman Ifalna, who was rumored to be Professor Gast's widow, was never seen in the hallways without an armed escort. Often, the woman looked ill, and occasionally, she was barely able to walk. He had seen her in the common room holding her baby protectively, as if anyone could snatch her away at any given moment. He figured that must often be the case.

Sephiroth's schedule was one that Wolff wouldn't have wished on an actual recruit. The boy was up at six a.m. for blood tests and physical exams every single day. Then after fifteen minutes for eating breakfast(which was usually a protein shake and several vitamin capsules), the boy had to study for an hour. After that, it was three hours of some kind of physical training. After a short lunch, Sephiroth would study for two hours, and then it was four hours of physical training. Only during dinnertime did the boy get an entire half-hour to eat in the canteen. During that time, Wolff would engage the boy in (a typically one-sided)conversation.

"You're doing great, Sephiroth!" Wolff called out to him.

The fitness trainer turned to glare at the soldier. "Who the hell asked you?" he snapped.

The door opened, and two MPs ushered Ifalna inside.

"What's this?" the trainer demanded as he stormed over to them, "We have the room reserved for the next hour. No distractions!"

"Professor Hojo was concerned that the subject needed exercise if she's to keep up with her testing regiment," one of the MPs, a short, impatient-looking man explained curtly. "You have a problem, you take it up with him."

"Keep her on the other side of the room," the trainer growled as he stormed back to where Sephiroth was still running, but had been looking at Ifalna. "What the hell are you looking at, kid?! Eyes forward! She's nothing! Do you understand?"

Sephiroth silently obeyed, turning his head back and looking straight ahead.

"Here…" the trainer pressed a button, "You're doing fine at that speed. We'll add another two miles per hour."

Sephiroth stumbled slightly as he tried to adjust to the speed. Suddenly, the heart monitor that was attached to his chest began beeping.

"Ignore that," his trainer barked, "Those things are sensitive as hell. Doesn't mean anything- keep going!"

Sephiroth managed to keep running for half a minute before he began to feel faint. Without warning, he pitched forward, and the treadmill sent him flying backwards, crashing head-first into the side of a large barbell mounted on a rack.

"Sephiroth!" Wolff cried out, alarmed. He ran over to the boy, who was now bleeding from the back of his head. "Can you hear me?"

The boy tried to speak, but found it difficult to form the words with his mouth. He could hear Wolff and the trainer began to argue. He also heard shouts, and footsteps rapidly approaching him. A pair of hands gently touched his head. A warm sensation washed over Sephiroth, and he opened his eyes a few seconds later.

"-Just trying to help the poor kid!" he could hear Ifalna protesting loudly as two MPs dragged her away from him, "He was exhausted, for Planet's sake! A blow like that would have killed anyone else-!"

Sephiroth winced as he saw the shorter MP raise his rifle and strike Ifalna's face with the butt of it, cutting off her words. The woman went down instantly, smacking the back of her head against the wall.

"Leave her alone!" he yelled, having found his voice again.

The MP glared at him.

"Sephiroth's right," said Wolff, "There's no need to use unnecessary force. Ma'am, are you okay?"

Ifalna stumbled to her feet and clutched her nose, which was now bleeding from the rifle stock. She seemed disoriented, staring confusedly at Wolff.

"I doubt your supervisors want to see this woman injured, let alone by you," Wolff said, thankful that he outranked the MPs. "I don't want to have to report you."

"Let's just get the hell out of here," the other MP said to his partner, who nodded in agreement. They hauled Ifalna out of the exercise room.

"You alright, Sephiroth?" Wolff asked, "Can you stand?"

The boy nodded as he got back to his feet.

"I'll let everyone know what's happened," he said as he pulled out his phone, "Hopefully we can get you back to your room so you can rest."

"I'm fine," Sephiroth insisted, "I'd have to be bleeding to death to not be able to make it to my lessons, training…anything. It's not the first time I've collapsed like that before."

No, it was only the first time anybody had gone out of their way to help him the way Ifalna had...and look what that had gotten her...

* * *

Ifalna lay in her bed that night, trying to sleep. Her head no longer hurt, but she still felt slightly dizzy. Every time she tried to close her eyes, the room seemed to give out from underneath. She should have expected something like this to happen when she chose to get involved. She knew that she'd do it again in a heartbeat, though. How could she just ignore that poor child?

Speak of the devil. Ifalna could hear him shuffling through the tunnel, and finally approach the grate. She smiled, grateful for the company.

"You're not moving as quietly as you did the last time you came to visit," Ifalna said quietly.

"I've got no reason to hide from you," Sephiroth replied from inside the vent.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way. Would you like to come in?"

"Why did you heal me?" Sephiroth asked as he moved closer to the grate.

"What kind of a question is that?" Ifalna replied as she stumbled out of bed and dragged herself closer to him. "You were hurt. I couldn't just ignore that!"

Sephiroth said nothing, but stared at the strange woman for a moment.

"That doesn't make sense…" he muttered.

"It doesn't?" Ifalna asked, tilting her head as she looked at the boy, "Well…maybe not. After all, it's easy to just go about your day and ignore people, right? That seems to be how most people usually operate. Sure, maybe they're paid to care…but me? I'm just a prisoner here. I risked being punished to help someone I'd only just met the other day. I even took a blow to the head for you. I _must_ be crazy, huh?" She widened her eyes as if to emphasize her point.

Sephiroth kept staring impassively at her. "You said it…not me…" he said finally.

Ifalna's heart sank as she realized just how much sarcasm had been dripping from her words. Immediately, she shut her eyes and turned away guiltily. "Sorry…" she whispered, hoping that the child wouldn't turn around and leave. "I'm normally not this bitter..."

"People are only happy on TV," Sephiroth said, causing Ifalna to realize that he didn't even sound bitter or sad. He simply sounded as if he had stated that the sun had come out, or announced what time it was.

"Maybe…" Ifalna suggested, "there's more to people than you think. Maybe Shinra only has certain types of people to offer. It's a big, big world outside of this dreary building, Sephiroth. I just hope that by the time you're allowed to experience it, that you haven't completely closed yourself off..."

Again, she stopped and kicked herself mentally for saying too much too quickly. _I should ask the planet how to heal my diarrhea of the mouth..._she thought wearily.

"What do you mean?" Sephiroth asked, leaning in as far as the grate would allow him.

"I'm sure you've noticed it," Ifalna told him, "You know there's something about this company that's just…wrong. Why would they force a little boy to run on a treadmill until he collapses? Why would they put him in the kind of danger they do? What's worse, their plan is to do that to thousands of other young people. I've heard them talking about their SOLDIER program. An army of children, in a society that claims to be so advanced and civilized."

"It's because of me," said Sephiroth, "Professor Hojo always says that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. If it works for me, the rest of the science department tries to make it work for anybody my age. The president always says that everyone is depending on me."

"It doesn't have to be that way," Ifalna sighed.

"What can I do about it?" Sephiroth protested, "I'm just a kid."

"Right now, maybe you can't do anything," Ifalna admitted, "But that doesn't mean you can't do something eventually. Don't give up. Don't _ever_ give up. I tell Aerith that every night because I want her to always have hope…even if she has to grow up having never seen the sun. We've all got a little fire inside of us. Don't let it go out, because it might just come in handy one day."

"Even though you're stuck in a cell?" Sephiroth asked.

"What else is there to do?" Ifalna asked, "I know they're going to try and break my daughter. They'll have to do it over my dead body, though..."

Ifalna stared at him, her eyes full of resolve. Sephiroth leaned back and shook his head in wonder.

"I've never met anyone like you," he sighed.

Ifalna smiled sadly. "That's what Professor Gast said to me."

"I trusted him," said Sephiroth, "but now he's gone. I don't know what I'm going to do now."

"There are still people here that you can trust," said Ifalna, "I'm sure he wanted you to realize that."

Sephiroth looked extremely troubled.

"I should go," he said finally.

"I'm glad you're all right," said Ifalna.

The boy nodded silently as he quietly turned himself around, and began to crawl away.

* * *

"Why do I have to be here again?" Sephiroth asked the next morning as he sat on an examination table in one of the labs. "They already checked me out last night and said I don't have a concussion."

"You weren't healed by materia," Hojo replied as he looked at the vial that had just been filled with Sephiroth's blood. "I want to see if there were any changes to your system as a result. It's a pity that I had the evening off last night. Had I heard about this unfortunate incident sooner, I'd have examined you right after it had happened."

"How can someone heal me without materia or potions?" Sephiroth asked.

"Like you, the woman has certain gifts that we're trying to use to help change the world," Hojo answered. "We're done for now, but I'll say this for your benefit: stay away from that woman. She's a troublemaker. She's nowhere near as cooperative as you are. We need her abilities, but if it weren't for that, I'd just as soon never see her again. And as for your bodyguard, I've already informed him that he needs to mind his own business. He's here to take care of you, and you alone. You may go now."

* * *

"Hojo wants me to stay away from you," Sephiroth announced as he sat in Ifalna's room later that night.

Ifalna smirked. "And so you respond by coming to visit me again?"

"…I don't know," Sephiroth admitted, looking around the room, "I…just like coming to see you."

"I'm glad," said Ifalna, "Because I like it when you stop by. It's rather boring here, just me and Aerith."

"You don't talk to the guards? Obviously not the one who hit you, but there's others."

"Most of them have an ulterior motive," Ifalna said, shuddering at the implications. Before Sephiroth could ask her what she meant by that, she continued to speak: "That one guard who seemed to be looking after you, however…"

"Wolff? What about him?"

"I can read people, Seph. Don't ask me how, I just can. I can read him, and it's a good reading."

"My name is _Sephiroth_," the boy corrected her.

"Kind of a mouthful, don't you think?" Ifalna teased.

Sephiroth sighed in frustration. "Well, I suppose it's better than calling me 'freak'…" he muttered, "Do you really think I can trust him?"

Ifalna sighed at the thought of an eight-year-old being given such a demeaning label. She briefly wondered if this was what fate had in store for Aerith as well.

_Not if I can help it__…_she decided.

"Yes," she said at last, "You can trust me as well."

Sephiroth frowned. "I'll think about it," he said.

Ifalna chuckled. "Fair enough."

Aerith began to fuss.

"Can I hold her?" Sephiroth asked suddenly.

Ifalna smiled. "Of course you can. Here…"

She lifted the baby out of the cradle and handed her over to the boy, guiding his hands so he was cradling her head properly.

"Her neck isn't very strong yet," Ifalna explained, "So always remember to hold her head just like you're doing now."

"Good thing she's not meant to be a super-soldier," Sephiroth said with a sigh, "Or else Hojo would probably do stuff to her to make sure her neck _did_ get strong. He's such…an asshole."

Ifalna frowned. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use that kind of language here."

Sephiroth lowered his head. "Sorry…"

"However…" Ifalna said with a smirk, "I agree with you completely."

Sephiroth smiled back.

"Wow…" Ifalna marveled, "She's quieted down. Usually she cries if anyone else holds her. She must really trust you."

"I figured babies didn't know how to trust people," said Sephiroth.

"I think they know just fine," said Ifalna, "Especially Aerith. We can both sense things about people."

"And that's another reason why you're stuck here?" Sephiroth guessed, "I mean, healing without materia…I could see them forcing you to be in the trenches healing everyone."

"Oh, no," Ifalna said, tilting her head and scowling at the thought, "Too much risk of me getting killed. Hojo would never stand for it. Anyway, blue isn't really my color."

"Maybe they'll keep you at second class, since they wear red," Sephiroth quipped.

Ifalna leaned over and peered at the boy, a slightly amused smile spreading across her face.

"Was that a joke you actually made?" she teased.

"Maybe…" Sephiroth said noncommittally, "But you said you can sense things about people. I'm curious now: what do you sense about me?"

Ifalna regarded the boy solemnly for a moment. Then she spoke:

"You're designed to do some amazing things, Sephiroth. But the people who are doing the designing…I can't warn you enough to be careful. The Shinra…they're doing terrible things to the Planet, and the people. If they have their way, they would have you cooperating with them, and making things worse. But, if you don't lose yourself…maybe you could do some amazing things…things that could undo what's been done…"

She then stopped, noting the blank look on the boy's face. She was losing him now. Ifalna sighed, forced a smile, and continued:

"You don't have to make any decisions today. Or tomorrow…not next week…not next year. I'm just asking you to remember what I'm trying to say to you…even if it's probably coming out all wrong…" she trailed off and laughed ruefully. "Faremis was the gifted speaker…not me."

"He made a lot more sense than you do," Sephiroth agreed.

Ifalna laughed again. "Well, I appreciate your honesty."

"But…" Sephiroth looked down, "…as long as I'm here…they would have me do what they want. Which means…"

He looked at the baby, thinking hard for a moment. His thoughts however, were scattered when he saw Aerith open her eyes. The infant seemed to be staring right at him, with eyes that were identical to her mother's. Then, before he could gather his thoughts again, Ifalna spoke resignedly:

"I guess we'll just have to see what happens, huh?"

Sephiroth looked up at her, noting how dull and tired her green eyes seemed. Immediately he averted his gaze, unable to look at her in that state.

Why did he keep coming back here? Why was he drawn to this woman who seemed to be a glutton for punishment? Why, other than the fact that she had married Professor Gast and had a child with him?

"I like this show…" he said finally, noting the TV program that was on.

"It's interesting…" Ifalna agreed, not wanting to burden the boy any further with more heavy thoughts.

Nothing more was said between them. Sephiroth spent the next half-hour watching TV with Ifalna and holding Aerith. Finally, he excused himself, gave Aerith back to Ifalna, climbed back into the vent, replaced the grate, and made his way back to his room.

* * *

Shout-outs:

JazzQueen: Hojo being Sephiroth's father just MIGHT be the final straw for him and the Shinra…stay tuned… ;)

destinykeyblade: Thanks again for the heads up. Lesson learned: never edit a story on your iPhone.


	4. Chapter 3: The Discovery

Chapter 3: The Discovery

Thirteen-year-old Sephiroth smirked at his reflection in the water. He could hear the loud buzzing sound of the approaching monster from a good thirty feet away, and instantly recognized it.

_Kimara Bug. Known for its web attack that can bind its victim, allowing it to strike. Easily overtaken with manipulate materia._

Sephiroth didn't have any of the aforementioned yellow orbs. No matter, though. He was perfectly content to deliver a good old-fashioned sword-slashing attack. Materia would only be a waste on something so pathetic.

Not wasting anymore time, he quickly spun around and swung his new sword, cleanly severing the monster's head. He looked at the weapon, satisfied. The cut had been so quick, so clean, that despite the pool of blood growing around the body, there wasn't a single drop on the blade.

"This is Masamune. It was forged by a Wutain expatriate, especially for you, Sephiroth," the director of the army had declared as he handed the extra long odachi to the boy, "Use it well."

That had been two months ago, and so far, Sephiroth was doing just that. He had received the new sword right before being sent on his very first mission with the infantry: to patrol the area while Shinra built a reactor in a small town known as Gongaga. Thus far, he was pleased with the way things were going. He found that he liked his fellow soldiers: boys who were about five-to-seven years older than he was. They were enthusiastic, energetic, and nowhere near as two-faced as the Shinra suits and scientists were.

"This is so cool…" he had heard one trooper saying to the other, "I grew up here, y'know, and all there is around here is farming. You want fun, you learn how to fish and hunt. Problem with that is the monsters. There's at least ten deaths a year out here from people getting ripped to shreds by some Grand Horn or Gagighandi. Now with the reactor, we'll all save enough money on energy to be able to buy TVs as big as the ones in the rec room at the base! Maybe even a few arcades. And then maybe a big wall with security cameras to warn us if monsters are coming. How neat would that be?"

"That new SOLDIER program they're talking about will get to be so huge, the monsters will eventually become extinct!" he recalled another squad-mate saying, "We'll kill 'em all!"

Sephiroth smiled as he recalled that conversation. He remembered what Ifalna had said about the big world outside, and about people on the outside being different. For so long, he had been hesitant to believe her and Wolff(who would periodically tell him the same thing), but now, he seemed to be getting proof that they were right. Younger people were certainly more tolerable to be around, at least. Even Wolff and Ifalna were young compared to the people in charge over at Shinra.

Today was the last day of his assignment. Despite the fact that it would be several more months before the reactor was fully-functioning, the powers-that-be had decided they wanted to send him somewhere more challenging. Where that would be, he hadn't been told yet. All he knew was that he would be back at headquarters this time tomorrow. Clearly his abilities weren't being tested enough here in Gongaga.

He couldn't help but shake his head and smile again. Aerith would be demanding lots of stories, and she likely wouldn't leave his side for as long as she could help it. This was the longest he had ever spent away from Midgar, and away from his "two favorite ladies", as Wolff referred to them as.

Just then, his watch went off. It was now two p.m., which meant his shift outside the perimeter was up. Glancing around and listening carefully to make sure there were no other monsters, he stayed where he was for a few seconds. Then, deciding everything was fine, he began to make his way back to the construction site.

* * *

The area was surrounded by at least twenty construction workers, and ten members of the infantry. Behind the barriers that had been erected to keep the townsfolk out, were several curious villagers watching everything that was going on.

"Welcome back, Sephiroth," Wolff greeted him as the two saluted each other, "Anything to report?"

"Nothing except a Kimara Bug and a couple of mutant frogs, sir." Sephiroth replied.

"Ah, yes. The villagers call them 'Touch Me' monsters. Careful- you remember what happened to Beckett last week."

Sephiroth nodded. One of his squad-mates had been transformed into a frog by the monster's spell. Fortunately, there had been plenty of remedies available, but the damage to the boy's reputation had been done. Everyone now called him "Private Ribbit-Ribbit".

"Looks like it's time for your lunch break," said Wolff, "Dismissed!"

Sephiroth saluted the superior officer again, and turned around, about to head toward his tent.

Suddenly, a little boy with closely cropped black hair came running from out of the main village. He dove underneath one of the barriers set up to keep the townspeople away, and rolled to his feet. He giggled and looked around, his eyes wide with wonder at the size of the reactor's skeleton.

"Zack Fair, you get back here this minute!" a young woman shrieked as she came running from the same area. She stopped at the barrier and shook her fist angrily.

"You're not my mom!" the little boy shouted at her.

Sephiroth snickered softly as he watched the spectacle.

"You can't catch me!" Zack sang out.

"I'm warning you, Zack!"

The boy ignored her as he weaved around the construction workers, who were now getting irritated.

"Hey!"

"Watch it!"

"Lady, control your little brother!"

"He's _not_ my brother!" the woman protested, "Thank Gaia!"

"Heads up!" someone shouted in a panicked voice.

Sephiroth looked up to see a large piece of heavy sheet metal slide off of the frame of the roof, picking up speed as it fell. In a split-second, he realized the giant object was headed straight toward Zack, who was completely unaware of the danger he was in.

He sped over to the boy, grabbed him with his right hand, and held up his left hand, his palm facing upwards. The large sheet of metal landed hard on the youth's hand, bouncing off and tumbling to the ground. He looked down at the child and saw him frozen, his eyes wide with shock and fear.

"Are you all right?" he finally asked.

"Yes…" the boy whimpered.

"Oh my god!" the young woman exclaimed as she rushed over and took Zack's face in her hands, looking him over and making sure he was all right. "Zack, you could've been killed! See why I told you not to run off? I'm not just trying to be some mean babysitter-!"

The little boy threw his arms around his sitter and began to cry. Sephiroth stepped away as the girl led him away from the area, consoling him.

Before they reached the back main part of the village, Zack turned around and looked shamefacedly at Sephiroth.

"Thank you for saving me…" he hiccuped.

Sephiroth tried forcing a friendly smile, though he knew it probably looked awkward and strange. "Don't worry about it. Just be careful, okay? This place isn't for kids."

Zack nodded and turned around. He and his sitter walked off, disappearing into the village.

Suddenly, Sephiroth was surrounded by the members of his squad, all of them clapping him on the back and praising him.

"Hey, check out the hero!"

"That was _awesome_, man!"

"You're so freaking fast!"

"He'd have been killed if it weren't for you!"

"Alright, alright!" Wolff said loudly as he broke up the group, "Yes, that was amazing, but back to work now, alright?"

The crowd dispersed amidst a chorus of "Yes, sir!" and everyone went back to their respective posts.

"I'm inclined to let the president know about this," said Wolff, "He'd love that kind of publicity."

"Whatever…" Sephiroth muttered, embarrassed at all of the attention. He then hastily added: "…sir."

"Hey, I'm only trying to make your life easier," Wolff gently chided the boy, "The better you come off, the more they'll reward you."

"I know, sir."

"You planning on telling your lady-friends about this?" Wolff teased.

"I dunno…" Sephiroth sighed impatiently.

Wolff saw the look on the boy's face and decided to back off. After five years, he liked to think he was making a bit of headway with the boy, although he was beginning to suspect a good chunk of Sephiroth's personality was nature rather than nurture.

No matter, though. He was doing his part, just as the woman, Ifalna, seemed to be doing hers. And even though little Aerith was only five, she clearly had grown on Sephiroth. The boy seemed comfortable showing his tender side toward the little girl(and only her), often spending time with her.

Hojo had tried several times over the years to dissuade the relationship Sephiroth had with the two specimens, but to no avail. He could no more convince the boy to stop spending time with the Cetra and her daughter than he could convince him to cut his hair, which was beginning to reach his shoulders.

"One day, an enemy will grab a hold of that hair and slit your throat," Hojo had warned him more than once.

However, much to the scientist's chagrin, the president was beginning to get in the way of his handling Sephiroth.

"Pick your battles, Hojo," the corpulent CEO was fond of saying, "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

And thus, Sephiroth was free to visit with Ifalna and Aerith during his free time.

"Go eat your lunch," Wolff reminded the boy.

"Sir." Sephiroth saluted Wolff again and headed for his tent.

* * *

"Sephiroth!" Aerith greeted him excitedly the next day as he entered the rec. room. She ran from her nurse, jumping into Sephiroth's arms.

"Miss me?" Sephiroth teased.

Aerith nodded eagerly. "Did you fight any monsters?"

"I did," the youth said as he set the five-year-old girl down and began rummaging in his pocket. "And I had this made for you…"

He dug out a string pendant with a single black tusk in the middle. Aerith's eyes widened in excitement as she lifted up her hair, allowing Sephiroth to tie the pendant around her neck.

"That tusk comes from a Grand Horn," he told her, "They're from Gongaga. That's where they're building the new reactor."

"What's a reactor?" Aerith asked.

"Now that mako has been proven to power cities at half the cost of electricity, they're building reactors to harness mako energy," Sephiroth explained to her.

Aerith's smile suddenly vanished.

"What's the matter?" Sephiroth asked.

"Mama says the mako needs to be left alone," Aerith whispered.

"I see. Where is she, anyway? I had a present for her as well."

Now Aerith looked as if she were about to cry.

"What's wrong?" Sephiroth asked.

"They put her in that room…" Aerith told him, "You know, the one you told me to never go into…"

The tank room. Sephiroth knew that room all too well. When he was much younger, perhaps about five, he slept in the mako tanks instead of a bed for nearly a year. The reason was supposedly one of the reasons he was so strong. However, he wasn't too sure that Hojo wanted Ifalna to be strong the way Sephiroth was. As he had told the boy years ago, the woman was "trouble". Making her strong would likely be counter-productive.

"How long has she been in there?" Sephiroth asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"Since you left," the little girl answered sadly, "I've been all alone."

Sephiroth stared at her in complete shock. "That was two months ago!"

"Miss Elliott has been taking care of me," Aerith whispered, tilting her head toward the woman sitting in the back of the room, dividing her attention between the two children and the TV show that was on.

"Is she nice?" Sephiroth asked.

"She's boring," said Aerith, "Mama tells better stories. She's in the bad room, but she still talks to me at night."

Sephiroth gritted his teeth. He had half a mind to go find Hojo and give him hell. Now that he was finally "taller" than the scientist(technically he wasn't, but considering how crooked Hojo's back was…), he felt as though the playing field had finally been leveled. When he had been smaller, Hojo had occasionally struck the boy for being uncooperative during tests.

_Let him try and strike me now…_Sephiroth thought, unconsciously flexing his lean muscles.

"Seph?" Aerith tilted her head and peered curiously at him. It was uncanny how much she resembled her mother in that regard.

Sephiroth was a little disappointed that Aerith had seemed to take after her mother as far as her looks went. He was beginning to forget what Professor Gast had even looked like, although Ifalna had somehow managed to keep the man's sunglasses. They sat on the dresser of the modest two-bedroom apartment that mother and daughter now shared…unless Aerith had been moved somewhere else in Ifalna's absence.

Never mind, though. Sephiroth still intended to find out what had happened with Ifalna, but he had one more thing to take care of first.

"So guess who has the entire weekend off, except for drills?" Sephiroth asked.

"The Tall Tonberry!" Aerith joked, citing the villain of her favorite fairytale.

"Oh, that's right," Sephiroth quipped, "And he'll be the one to show you how to do a forward roll tomorrow in the gym."

"Hey, that's what _you_ promised to do in your letters!" Aerith accused him.

"I know. So would you rather I did it, or your 'Tired Tonberry'?"

"_Tall_ Tonberry," Aerith corrected him, "And you're the one I want to teach me. We both know the Tall Tonberry isn't real, silly!"

"Oh, so I'm silly?" Sephiroth reached over, grabbed Aerith and began tickling her mercilessly.

"NO!" the little girl shrieked as she managed to wriggle away and run back to her nurse.

"Alright, dearie," the older woman said patronizingly, "Time for your reading lessons. Come along now. Let's go meet your tutor."

"Reading, already?" Sephiroth remarked.

"Yep!" Aerith said brightly, "Next time you have to go away, I'm gonna write you letters too, and I'll read your letters all by myself. See ya!"

Sephiroth smiled and waved. Once the little girl and her nurse left the room, his smile vanished. He left the room, making a beeline for the tank room.

* * *

He was less-than-pleased to find Hojo sitting at a desk in the giant chamber, hunched over several notes and an open book. The scientist looked up from his work and then smirked.

"I expected you would show up sooner or later," Hojo taunted the boy. He then glanced at the tank. "My, my…two very peaceful months without that banshee screeching at the drop of a hat about…well, _anything_, really."

"Why?" Sephiroth managed to ask, trying to keep his temper under control.

"I'm sure your 'dear friend' told you about her memory problems," Hojo sneered, "Well, it just so happens that there was a breakthrough concerning mako enhancements and their positive effect on memory…and many, many other things. It won't be long now, Sephiroth. By the end of the year, we hope to have an entire squad of mako-enhanced soldiers. The army is about to take a whole new step forward. All thanks to the power of mako science."

Sephiroth said nothing, staring expressionlessly at the large cylindrical tank in the center, where Ifalna floated, almost lifelessly.

"To answer what I presume will be your next question: I haven't decided when I'll let the woman out," Hojo said contemptuously, "Perhaps when you go on your next mission. Neither of you need any distractions at this point. When she finally remembers where the alleged 'promised land' lies, the president will be quite busy with her. Once he's done, I can resume studying her healing capabilities. Such powers would indubitably benefit you and your fellow warriors on the battlefield, no doubt."

Sephiroth stared helplessly at his feet. He had been so sure of himself just moments ago, but now as he stood in the same room as Hojo, he felt all that confidence slipping away.

Clenching his teeth, he spun around and stormed out.

* * *

_"Why don't you ever talk about yourself like everyone else does?" Sephiroth had asked once, when he was about nine._

_ "There's not much to talk about," Ifalna sighed, "The truth is, I can't remember my life before only a few years ago. I remember waking up in a strange room in an abandoned city. All I could remember was my name. Not long after, Shinra archaeologists found me, and brought me back to this place._

_ "At first, I was grateful. I thought I was being taken care of during my time of need. But eventually, it became obvious I wasn't just some poor amnesiac who had gotten lost. When Hojo finally put two and two together, I was put on lock-down. Thankfully, I had already met Faremis…and well, you know what happened after that."_

_ "But…" Sephiroth trailed off, a thoughtful look on his face._

_ "But…?"_

_ "Is it possible there might be more Cetra out there? Maybe your family is still alive."_

_ "I don't know," Ifalna admitted, flinging her hands up helplessly, "I've asked the Planet over and over again, but all I get is silence. I don't even know what it means. The Planet never gives a straight answer. It speaks in riddles."_

_ Sephiroth scowled. "That sounds really annoying."_

_ "You have no idea…" Ifalna laughed sadly._

* * *

Sephiroth quickly moved through the vents that night, hurrying to the tank room. His forbidden excursions into the walls at night had long since paid off, and his ability to crawl swiftly and silently was a force to be reckoned with.

He knew it didn't make sense for him to come see her knowing she was unconscious, but then again, plenty of things didn't make sense in the tentative friendship he'd formed with the mysterious woman five years ago. He had simply learned that the rules were different when it came to Ifalna, and when it came to Aerith…and even when it came to Wolff, who he had slowly but surely grown to trust over time.

He just wanted a few minutes with her. If she could talk to Aerith at night like the little girl had claimed, perhaps she might be able to hear Sephiroth. He had wanted to tell her how his mission had been, how he had enjoyed the thrill of hunting down monsters, and how horrible Hojo had been for doing this to her. He hoped she would at lease be able to listen, if she couldn't talk to him.

He suddenly stopped when he heard voices coming from the room ahead of him. Cautiously, he slowed down and approached the grate, not quite sure if he could pass it without being detected. He sat completely still as he listened to the conversation below:

"…been waiting for two whole months now. Isn't it about time we see if she can remember? For all we know, she could even be lying about her 'amnesia'."

It was the president's voice. Sephiroth was certain of that.

"I've interrogated her enough to ensure that she's telling the truth," said another voice- Hojo. "Anybody who was lying would have cracked, I assure you."

"If you get that woman killed, Hojo, so help me..."

"It would be unfortunate, but we do have another Ancient."

"_Half-_Ancient."

"You have nothing to worry about, Mr. President. There's no need to talk about anybody dying. Both specimens are in perfect health."

"You've already warned me that we don't know what kind of side-effects this next phase of experiments might have on the woman."

"There's a _slight_ chance they might weaken her constitution, but so long as she's in our care, she will remain safe. Only if she were suddenly deprived of the medications she'll need to take, would her health be in any danger."

"Maybe you shouldn't start such a risky regiment?"

"That's up to you, but you'd be giving up the chance to see some incredible things happen. Also...I want Sephiroth on his next mission before I allow her to be released from the mako tank for checkups. Have the people in the department of defense decided where he is to go next?"

"They've narrowed it down to a couple of ideas, but there's nothing certain," said the president, "It seems some people just can't seem to come to any sort of agreement. I'd hate to think that the same thing is happening between us, Professor. Sephiroth and the Ancients may be yours, but just remember who you work for."

Sephiroth bristled at that last sentence. They didn't _belong_ to Hojo!

"I have my reasons for wanting to wait," said Hojo.

"I'm well aware of those reasons," the president said impatiently, "but the time is at hand. A new dawn is approaching, and I want _all_ of us to be ready. If there's an infinite supply of mako to be found, I want it as soon as possible. Besides, I see no harm in letting him spend time with the Cetra. I keep telling you to pick your battles. I don't just say this as a businessman or a politician. I say this from my own personal experience as a father. Sometimes you just have to live and let live. Consider it advice…from one father to another."

Sephiroth scowled. What did the president mean by that? Hojo didn't have children. He wasn't even married…as if anyone would want to spend their life with such a creep.

"So you know about that, do you?" Hojo remarked coldly.

"I may have only been vice-president at the time," said President Shinra, "but I have enough sense to have read the files kept here on the subject. They're a hell of a lot more organized, not to mention _accurate_, than the ones I found in Nibelheim. Jenova's _son?_ So what was your wife? A vessel?"

Sephiroth's eyes nearly popped out of his head. Hojo _was_ married? When did _that_ happen?!

"The more you try to control your son," the president continued, "the more he'll rebel. I'm taking care not to make that mistake with my son. You need to ensure you don't make that same mistake with Sephiroth. You need to at least let the boy _think_ you're not controlling him, even if you are, every step of the way."

Sephiroth's eyes widened in horror as it dawned on him.

_No…_he thought, _no, it's not possible! He's not my…!_

He froze, suddenly unable to move. How?! How could it be?! Ifalna had secretly told him what Professor Gast had told her about Lucrecia, the woman who had given birth to him. She had died, and he never knew who his father was. If Gast had known, he never told Ifalna. But was it really possible that she had actually been _married_ to Hojo?

He could feel his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He suddenly felt cold, and his entire body felt heavy as he slowly slid onto his stomach. His hands began to tremble, and he shut his eyes, gritting his teeth.

_Not him! Anyone but him! Did you know about this, Professor Gast? Why did you have to die?! Who the hell am I?!_

* * *

A/N: Uh-oh. Cliffhanger. :P

JazzQueen: I never got into X-Men, but I'm pretty intrigued by this new movie, and will probably see it. Yes, he's definitely been told not to act weak. But thanks to Wolff, Ifalna and Aerith, he's starting to be honest with his feelings, while still keeping up appearances for Shinra.

Next chapter is where the action begins, so stay tuned!


	5. Chapter 4: The Decision

A/N: Just wanted to thank to all my new readers! I hereby present the following shout-outs:

Ardwynna Morrigu: There were many things bugging me about the whole "last of the Ancients" spiel, including the purity of Ifalna's bloodline, and who her own family was. I decided to come up with my own original answers and put them in this fic. Thanks for reading!

Guest: Thanks for reading! I understand what you mean about Sephiroth's speech being very formal. Despite the abuse he likely suffers, I would imagine he's getting nothing short of the best education a child could have, which would account for him speaking the way he does. However, he's still a kid at this point, and at precisely the right age where he might even try to "dumb" himself down to fit in with his fellow soldiers, even if he's just trying to see what happens. J

Faunalind: Thanks. I look forward to writing more of this. Wolff will be exiting the scene very soon though. However, history is about to change for him, and therefore Elmyra… ;)

JazzQueen: What's somewhat interesting is that he does seem to have the "fatherly" urge to pass his knowledge onto Sephiroth. Even in the game.

Destinykeyblade: The vents were inspired from a show I used to watch as a kid called "Ocean Girl". In one of the episodes, the kids(who were about 13-16) were easily able to crawl through them and eavesdrop on the adults. Besides…there's a reason the vents needed to be so big in my story… ;)

* * *

Chapter 4: The Decision

_ He had to calm down. Nobody could know what he had just learned. Nobody…_

_ Suddenly, his mind wandered over to Ifalna…trapped in that godforsaken mako tank. He then bit his lip until he tasted blood. It would heal. That was what he was supposed to do. Sephiroth, the boy wonder…and all this time…Hojo's…_

_ He refused to let himself think of the word._

_ Hojo and the president had finally left, but Sephiroth had lingered in the enclosed area, unable to move. He would have cried, except for the fact that he had promised himself long ago that he wouldn't. Never would he shed another tear on account of that sorry hack who called himself a scientist…_

* * *

"Sephiroth, are you even listening to me?"

The boy snapped out of his thoughts from last night and found himself back in the small classroom. He looked up and saw the very irritated expression on his military tactics professor's face.

"What was the question?" he asked wearily.

"I asked you how your presentation on surprise attacks was coming along," the former army colonel said impatiently.

"I picked a theme," Sephiroth answered, "Since it was decided I was to keep busy patrolling here until my next assignment, I thought that it should be about security right here in the building."

His teacher looked surprised, and then pleased. "That's a very interesting idea," he praised the boy. "I look forward to seeing a rough draft at the end of the week."

Sephiroth regarded the man with an unreadable expression, and simply nodded.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Sephiroth asked later that day, as he and Wolff stood guard outside the elevator.

Aerith stood to the right of Sephiroth, her small chest puffed out, and her tiny fists clenched.

"Helping you," she replied, looking straight ahead.

Wolff shot a glance at her, and couldn't help but chuckle.

"And just what do you intend to do if some insane criminal bursts through the doors and decides to attack everyone in sight?" Sephiroth asked, fighting a smile.

"I'll bite them!" Aerith said fiercely, "That's what I did to the mean old man with the long hair who took Mama to the bad room."

Sephiroth looked down at Aerith in surprise. She had bitten Hojo? How he wished he had been there to see that!

"He tried to hit me, but Mama grabbed his arm and yelled at him even louder than before," Aerith went on.

Wolff didn't miss the flash of anger in Sephiroth's eyes.

"What did she say?" Sephiroth asked, trying to sound casual.

"Bad words," Aerith giggled.

"And yet she gets on my case if I use them…" Sephiroth muttered, somewhat annoyed.

"When is she gonna come out?" Aerith asked.

"Soon," said Sephiroth.

Wolff caught Sephiroth's eye and gave him a look, as if he were silently telling him not to give the girl false hope. Sephiroth stared back, a self-assured expression on his face. Wolff looked away, puzzled.

"Aerith!"

Miss Elliott appeared around the corner and went up to the little girl, a disapproving look on her face.

"Stop bothering the guards and stay where you're supposed to," she scolded, "You're due for your checkup in just a few minutes. Now come along!"

"No!" Aerith shouted.

"You know you have to," her caretaker droned in a no-nonsense tone.

Sephiroth grimaced. Aerith was right about the woman being boring. Just her _voice_ was almost enough to put the young swordsman to sleep.

"I don't like checkups either, little lady," Wolff said sympathetically, "but we gotta do these things sometimes. That's how we get big and strong. Don't you wanna be big and strong like me and Seph here?"

"I don't wanna see the mean man!" Aerith protested.

"It'll be over soon," Sephiroth tried to reassure her, "Just don't talk to him unless he asks you a question. Don't give him a chance to make some stupid speech to try and show you how smart he thinks he is, otherwise he'll keep you there until he stops talking. Believe me, I know."

Aerith pouted.

"Aw, where's that smile I love?" Wolff teased her, "Go see the doctor, be good, and Seph and I will see you at dinner tonight, alright?"

"Okay…" Aerith sighed as she went to join Miss Elliott.

"Honestly!" the woman said as they disappeared around the corner, "What would your mother say if she knew you were being so disobedient?"

"She'd let me stay up to watch the 'late-nite movie'," Sephiroth could hear Aerith answer.

Wolff chuckled. "God help Elmyra if she ever had to deal with a kid like that…"

* * *

Sephiroth glanced around the small room he was in, scribbling down notes.

It was after dinner, and he had a few hours before lights-out. He was working on his assignment, and was studying all of the rooms that the vent tunnels connected to. Right now, he was in one of the labs. It was a small room, with a cage in the corner, holding a goblin that looked to be about three feet tall. Sephiroth could only guess his height, as the creature was curled up in a ball, apparently asleep.

There were several different monsters of all sizes being kept in cages and containers all over the science department. His project, and growing responsibilities in the army allowed him to have greater access to the area, and he realized that Ifalna and Aerith had it much better than most of the creatures here. They all seemed to be equally miserable, however. But here they all were, nonetheless, for one reason or another.

"Just what kind of secrets do you all hold?" Sephiroth asked the goblin rhetorically.

The creature raised his head up. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he taunted.

Sephiroth jumped, startled. "Since when do goblins know how to talk?" he exclaimed.

"Can't speak for anyone but myself," said the goblin, "which is ever since I could remember. What's it to ya? I can take you on! Put 'em up!"

He jumped up and began to swing his fists at the young soldier. Sephiroth took a closer look, realizing that the creature was wearing boxing gloves.

"Like my gloves?" the goblin quipped, "They're brand-new! Next time one of those white-coated bastards comes in, and opens the door to feed me, I'll just give 'em what-for, and I'm outta here!"

The door opened, and an intern walked inside. "Oh, hello, Sephiroth," she said in a phony, patronizing tone, "What brings you in here?"

The goblin fell silent, save for a couple of growls at Sephiroth.

"…My presentation," Sephiroth said warily, "It's on how to defend Shinra Headquarters against a surprise attack. I outline the attack scenario, and then come up with a strategy."

"Hey, that's neato!" the intern said, clearly not meaning it. Sephiroth could recognize that tone, that clearly said: "You're a dumb kid, but I'll play along and act all excited for you."

"How long has that goblin been here?" Sephiroth asked.

"Oh Boxer? A while," the intern replied, "He's supposed to be under experimental treatment that would make him sentient. We'd hoped he'd be able to talk, but so far, no good. He's smart, though. Just last week, he tried to escape by reaching through the bars and lifting the latch. We put the boxing gloves on him so he wouldn't be able to do that anymore. That was my idea. Don't they look cute?"

Sephiroth smirked at the goblin, who looked away angrily.

"Sure!" he said in a fake cheerful tone, subtly mocking the intern, "Well, too bad he can't talk. That really _would_ be 'neato', wouldn't it?"

"You bet," the intern replied obliviously, in the same plastic tone.

"I'll let you get back to work," said Sephiroth.

He heard the woman saying something- probably goodbye- in the same voice as he slammed the door behind him.

For some reason, he couldn't help but find himself liking the goblin…Boxer. Obviously, he was smarter than the dullard who worked in that room.

Did all of Shinra's test subjects act so rebelliously? And here, he thought he and Ifalna were the only ones(although Aerith was starting to learn quickly). Clearly, he had a lot to learn about the 68th floor, despite it having been his home for so many years.

Never mind. He still had a lot of work to do tonight, and every night before he was deployed again. However, the majority of his to-do list had to wait until after lights-out.

* * *

Colonel Rock Vanheim had retired from service two years ago, and had planned to live out the remainder of his days in Costa Del Sol. However, his wife finding out about the existence of not one, but two mistresses led to a series of unfortunate events; the main one being a word he now hated: alimony. What was worse was that his ex-wife had managed to find the best lawyers to suck him dry. He was able to keep the house(as well as his mistresses), but if he ever wanted to live on those beautiful beaches and keep his women entertained, he would need to put off his retirement.

Fortunately, the opportunity to instruct young Sephiroth seemed to fall into his lap. The boy was like a sponge, absorbing everything he was taught. True, he was the creepiest child Vanheim had ever encountered, with those unnerving reptilian eyes, and his cold demeanor. His intelligence also intimidated many people from the Shinra, who would whisper that the child should never have been born…that he was a ticking time-bomb.

Vanheim had agreed…until he saw his first paycheck as an instructor. For that kind of easy money, the boy could burn the Midgar Plate to cinders if he wanted…so long as he got his money.

"Colonel!"

Vanheim turned around to see Sephiroth running to catch up to him. The boy handed him a piece of paper.

"What's this?" he asked, looking at the paper.

"A brief summary of my presentation," Sephiroth answered, his demeanor seeming overly casual and slightly…arrogant, if Vanheim was not mistaken?

"Our class is not for another hour, Sephiroth," Vanheim reminded him.

"I was hoping you might be able to read it by then and tell me what you think," Sephiroth told him.

The old man nodded. "I'm about to go on my lunch break. I'll read it very soon."

"Thank you. I'll see you in an hour," Sephiroth said as he walked away.

Vanheim watched the boy leave. Strange, but it seemed as though he was trying not to laugh…

* * *

"Seph!" Aerith exclaimed as she saw her friend walking down the hallway.

"There you are," Sephiroth remarked, smiling. "I was just about to go find you. I've got this amazing new game that I made up. What do you say? Do you want to play?"

"Sure!" Aerith said eagerly, "How do you play?"

"First…" Sephiroth said as he took the little girl's hand and led her toward his quarters, "…I'm going to show you my secret hiding place. Then, all you have to do is stay there until I get back…"

* * *

Vanheim put down his phone and sighed. No sooner did he sit down in the classroom to eat his lunch, than one of his mistresses called, begging for "quality time" over the PHS if he couldn't be there in person. The instructor had quickly gone over to the door and locked it, making sure no one would hear him talking dirty on the phone.

He glanced at the clock and groaned. She had kept him on for nearly his entire break. He had less than five minutes to read Sephiroth's paper before the boy would arrive, asking him what he thought. He took his glasses off of his shirt collar, put them on, and began to read silently:

_ Lone assailant, possibly terrorist…_

He stopped and rolled his eyes. _One_ assailant? What kind of weak scenario was this?

_Through days of information-gathering as an undercover employee, assailant learns the ins-and-outs of the compound, learning of a master control panel on the 68__th__ floor, that opens the gates. He releases all of the specimens, including dangerous monsters that begin to attack everyone on the floor creating a diversion before assassinating the president…_

Just then, an alarm went off. Vanheim leaped out of his chair, realizing that this was a code red. A security breach.

He opened the and looked out into the hallway, seeing a small group of troopers running past him as fast as they could.

"Hello, Colonel."

Vanheim turned around to see Sephiroth standing behind him, a menacing smirk on his face.

"What the-?! Stop smiling like that and go see what's going on!" he sputtered, "What's the matter with you?! Don't you know this is a code red?!"

"Yes," Sephiroth said coolly, "I do. Didn't you read the paper I gave you?"

They heard a woman screaming and a monster hissing. The scream was suddenly cut off and became a gurgle. Vanheim turned pale as he realized what was going on.

"You actually _did_ these things?!" he shrieked.

"And I'm afraid I have a little confession to make," said Sephiroth, "I didn't come up with a defense plan…just the attack scenario. I simply couldn't be bothered."

"Have you gone _mad?!_" the man exclaimed.

Sephiroth summoned Masamune, and lifted it up threateningly. The man reached for his holster.

"No, I wouldn't do that," said the young swordsman, using the flat part of the blade to fling the man's hand away, "I can slice off that arm much quicker than you can pull out your gun. Best to turn around, leave, and protect the people here from all those escaped test subjects. Just let me do what I intend to do, and I won't slice your head off. Does that sound fair to you?"

_Assassinating the president…_Vanheim recalled as he sped off. He knew he couldn't stop Sephiroth himself, but he could at least warn the chief…

* * *

Sephiroth stared at Ifalna for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he pulled out the piece of paper from his pocket, and went over to the control panel. He began entering the codes, and was pleased when he heard a hissing sound from the center of the room. He looked back and saw the mako rapidly draining from the tank. When it was empty, the front hatch popped open with a mechanical groan.

Sephiroth was there in a fraction of a second, catching Ifalna as she tumbled out, soaked to the skin with the sticky green substance. Not wasting any time, Sephiroth began doing chest compressions on the woman in order to get her breathing again. Thankfully, it didn't take long before her eyes popped open and she took a deep, gasping breath.

"Where am I...?" she coughed.

"Shhh!" Sephiroth hissed, "Not so loud!"

"Sephiroth…?" she whispered as she opened her eyes.

"Can you stand up?" he asked.

"I don't know…" she said uncertainly.

Sephiroth took her arm and wrapped it around his shoulder and stood up, helping the woman to her feet. Cautiously, she took one step, and then another.

"Come on," he said when he was satisfied that she was steady enough.

"Where are we going?"

"Away," Sephiroth replied simply.

"Huh?" Ifalna stopped and stared intently at her young friend.

"Aerith is waiting in the tunnels for us right now," Sephiroth told her, "We have to hurry!"

"Sephiroth, why now?"

Sephiroth refused to look at her. "Do you want out or not?"

Ifalna peered at the boy, a concerned expression on her face. "What happened, Sephiroth?"

"We don't have time!" the boy protested as he led her toward the nearest grate. He knelt down, yanked it off, and crawled inside. "Follow me. We can talk once we're safe."

He wasn't looking forward to that at all, but he felt that Ifalna deserved _some_ kind of explanation...eventually.

* * *

"Mama!" Aerith exclaimed as she threw her arms around her mother. "Ew- you're all sticky!"

"Shh!" Sephiroth hissed, "We still have to be quiet, okay?"

"Listen to Sephiroth," Ifalna whispered, putting her finger over her mouth to emphasize her point.

"Think of it like another new game," Sephiroth whispered to Aerith, "Just try to stay quiet as long as you can. When we win, we'll get to do something really amazing. We'll get to walk out into the sunlight."

Rather than encourage the little girl, the prospect of the sun seemed to frighten her.

"I'll also buy you something special," he added, "I promise. Do I ever break a promise?"

Aerith shook her head no.

"All right. See that grate right next to me? It leads to the stairwell. I'm going to push the grate off, and we're going to climb through the opening. Then, I'm going to carry you in my arms, because I can carry things and still not make a sound. You're going to help me by staying quiet as well. I'm going to be running really fast though, so don't be scared. I won't drop you."

Aerith nodded, determined to prove to her best friend she could play this new game.

Sephiroth turned to Ifalna, "You climb on my back and hold tightly. I've run obstacle courses carrying nearly three times my weight. The two of you shouldn't be any problem at all. Let's go."

He delivered a sharp kick to the grate, sending it flying down the stairs in front of him. The three of them crawled out and stood up.

"You know I can't let you go any further," said a voice.

Wolff ascended the stairs and stood in front of a stunned Sephiroth.

"Did we lose?" Aerith whispered to Ifalna.

"I think we did, little one," Ifalna said, blinking back tears.

"Don't make me have to fight you," Sephiroth said quietly as he summoned Masamune again.

"Do you think I can just let you go?" Wolff pointed out.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Sephiroth pleaded, "I don't care about anyone else, but if I have to hurt _you_, I won't forgive myself!"

"_Obviously_ you don't care about anyone else," Wolff stated angrily, "I counted three dead bodies on the way to the staircase. And that's on the 67th floor, from where I came. I don't even want to know what those monsters that stayed on the 68th floor did!"

"Monsters?" Ifalna was confused.

"I set free all the specimens," Sephiroth explained, holding his sword defensively, "I also made them think I planned to assassinate the president so they would keep _him_ guarded, rather than the exits."

"Sephiroth, most of those creatures were _dangerous!_" Ifalna protested.

"I did what I had to do!" the teenager snapped, "Wolff, get out of my way! This is the last time I'm going to tell you that!"

"I can't let you go without a fight," Wolff said, cringing. "Just…don't get carried away. We both know it has to look real…"

Suddenly, Sephiroth realized what Wolff was doing. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Let me keep my hands at least…" Wolff joked ruefully.

Sephiroth nodded. "Run, you two," he said without turning around, "Go down one set of stairs and wait for me there. I'll be there very shortly.

Ifalna grabbed Aerith's hand and quickly led her down the stairs, offering a quick prayer to the Planet.

* * *

A/N: Okay, I promise, I'm not doing this on purpose. These chapters just seem to end on cliffhangers. I'll work hard to make sure the next chapter has at least some resolution. I've got about two or three chapters before part 1 of this story ends. Part 2 will take us to the main storyline, and elaborate further on Ifalna's backstory, which plays a HUGE part.


	6. Chapter 5: Breakdown

A/N:

Ardwynna: This is going to be a long, epic altered-timeline story. I will definitely be deviating from canon. Enjoy all the changes I have to offer. :D

JazzQueen: Let's just say that Ifalna will prove to be a very good influence on him.

* * *

Chapter 5: Breakdown

Ifalna crouched on the ground, her hands over her ears. She had instructed Aerith to cover hers as well, so that they wouldn't be able to hear the sound of the battle going on one floor above them. After less than a minute, she could feel Sephiroth's footsteps as he dashed down the stairs to meet them.

"How is he?" Ifalna asked upon seeing Sephiroth jogging toward them.

"You're bleeding!" Aerith exclaimed, noting the blood covering the legs of the youth's blue infantryman pants.

"Not my blood," Sephiroth said quickly, "Let's just keep going."

Before they could go any further, however, the doors to the 67th floor swung open, and two large feline-looking beasts leaped into the stairwell. The slightly larger of the two had fur that was bright blue, while the smaller one's coat was a purplish hue. Both of them had scars all over their bodies, some looking fairly recent. Their most startling features, however, were their tails, the ends of which looked almost as if they were ablaze.

Sephiroth held up Masamune, until he saw a familiar figure perched atop the back of the blue creature.

"We meet again!" Boxer said, waving happily.

"So this is the young man you told us about," the purple beast remarked.

"Indeed!" Boxer affirmed, giggling at the stunned looks on Ifalna and Aerith's faces.

"How many of you are able to talk?!" Sephiroth exclaimed, amazed himself.

"Just us," said the blue-hued beast, "We are the only ones who haven't tried to kill each other. It didn't take long for us to realize that our goblin friend is on the same side as myself, and my mate."

"They also helped me get my gloves off!" Boxer said excitedly as he held up his bare hands. "I can help you from here on out!"

"Well, you can add the three of us to your number," said Ifalna, "I suppose six against the army makes for better odds."

"Who are you?" Sephiroth asked the two beasts.

The two feline creatures exchanged amused glances before turning their gazes back to Sephiroth.

"Indigo," the purple one said, its voice unmistakably feminine.

"Cobalt," the blue one replied in a deeper, likely male voice.

"Not very original," Sephiroth remarked, thankful that the powers that be hadn't simply named him "Silver".

"We are what you see," Indigo said, still seeming amused.

Sephiroth sighed, growing impatient with these circuitous explanations. "Let's go. There might be better odds with more of us here, but we're still up against an entire army, and a city of people who will likely panic if they see you."

"Where are we going?" Ifalna asked as they followed Sephiroth.

"I was thinking we could escape through the sewer system," Sephiroth explained, "This past year, I entertained myself by studying the blueprints of this building. While I don't remember every last detail, I did note how the vents eventually lead to the sewers, in case there was ever an attack and I needed to lead people to safety."

Ifalna nodded.

"All of you just follow me, alright?"

"You're the boss," Boxer replied.

Cobalt and Indigo nodded silently.

"The less footsteps heard, the better," said Sephiroth, "Ifalna, you ride on my back again. Aerith you ride on Indigo. When she climbs down the stairs, you lie down flat and hold on tightly so you don't fall over. We're almost out of here, so bear with me. Once we get to the ground floor, then back into the vents we all go. I do believe our new friends…" he regarded Cobalt and Indigo, "…will just barely fit inside. Let's go!"

* * *

Elmyra Gainsborough often worried for the safety of her husband. It was bad enough that the work he did which kept him in Midgar was so classified that he couldn't tell her. But when he was sent on long assignments, such as the two months he had spent in Gongaga, her heart ached whenever she saw other couples together, enjoying each other's company.

Her heart had soared, however, when he called her an hour ago, promising her that he would indeed be home for dinner tonight. Immediately, she had gone grocery shopping in preparation for tonight's meal, thrilled that she would be making dinner for two.

When she had left the grocery store and saw a large crowd of people gathered around a display of TVs outside the appliance store, she simply wondered if there was a game on that she hadn't been aware of. Then she saw a friend of hers waving frantically at her.

Elmyra smiled and waved back. Her friend then rushed over to her.

"Elmyra, didn't you hear?" her friend panted.

"Hear what?" Elmyra asked, noting the panicked look on the other woman's face.

"The Shinra building!" her friend exclaimed, grabbing Elmyra's free arm, "It's under attack!"

Elmyra nearly dropped her groceries.

"Come with me!" her friend grabbed her arm and pulled her across the street toward her apartment building.

* * *

"_The situation is incredibly tense now,"_ said the radio announcer as the two woman sat in the kitchen, _"The identity of the attacker or attackers is currently unknown, but reports say that flames are coming out of the top floors of Shinra Headquarters! It's been reported that the engulfed floors have now been evacuated, but it's unknown how many casualties there currently are!"_

Elmyra put her hands over her face and began to weep. Her friend moved her chair closer and hugged her.

"Wolff's too tough to go down so easily," the other woman said reassuringly, "I'm sure he'll be okay…"

* * *

"I don't hear anything," Sephiroth whispered as they finally reached the bottom of the stairs.

Many panicked civilian workers had burst into the stairwell to escape, but had quickly run off again upon seeing Sephiroth carrying Masamune. A few guards had burst in, but they had all fled for their lives as well. It had been almost too easy.

The young swordsman let Ifalna off of his back and made his way toward one of the doors. "This door leads to the parking lot. I'm just going to take a look, and then we'll go back in the vents."

"Then we find the sewers, correct?" Indigo asked.

"Correct," Sephiroth answered. He opened the door just a crack. After a few seconds, he opened it enough to stick his head out. Then suddenly, he motioned for the others to come.

"What is it?" Ifalna asked as she and the others hurried over.

"Change of plans!" Sephiroth said to the small group, "I think I've found a quicker way out of Midgar than the sewers."

He opened the door, and they followed him outside, where quickly hid behind a large dumpster. Only about twenty feet away sat a large armored car with two troopers occupying the front seats. They seemed oblivious to the group's presence as they stared nervously at the smoke coming out of the top-most floors. Other cars and trucks were parked haphazardly around the area, as if waiting for a command. However, Sephiroth was certain that he could hijack this vehicle.

"Perfect!" he said as he pointed ahead, "They'll have the keys on them. Follow me!"

They ran over to the vehicle. Sephiroth quickly yanked off one of the back doors as if it had been made of balsa wood. The group piled inside. Before the driver or his partner could reach for their guns, Sephiroth had Masamune held up against both of their throats.

"Out," he said flatly. He was thankful that due to the position of the armored car, there was no way anyone else would see what had happened.

The two men slowly opened their respective doors and slid out. Instantly, Sephiroth dropped his sword and climbed over the seat.

"You already know how to drive?" Ifalna asked as she lifted Aerith into the passenger seat and climbed over, joining her.

"A lot of laws don't apply to me," Sephiroth said dryly as he put the keys in the ignition and started the engine.

Ifalna sat next to Aerith in the front, while Boxer, Cobalt and Indigo sat among the cargo in the back. Sephiroth made sure everyone was secure in their seats, before speeding out of the parking lot, and onto the highway.

"Oh, look at this!" Boxer exclaimed as he opened a small crate and reached inside, pulling out several loose materia.

Ifalna's eyes widened in shock. "It's every color of materia under the sun!"

"Equip it!" Sephiroth ordered. He took his bracer off and handed it to Ifalna. "There's three slots there. Insert the best ones you can find, and put that on. You'll be a force to be reckoned with."

"There's more of those bracelets in this bag," Aerith said as she reached inside another bag, pulling out a couple of Shinra-issue bracers.

"You picked the best car to hijack!" Ifalna laughed excitedly as she took the bracers, climbed over the seat and helped secure them on Cobalt and Indigo's legs.

"Can I put one on too?" Aerith asked.

"No," Sephiroth told her, "Materia is too dangerous for kids to use. Besides- the bracers won't fit you anyway."

"Seph's right, honey," said Ifalna.

"Hmph!" Aerith folded her arms across her chest and began to pout.

"I'll keep an eye out on things," Boxer volunteered.

"Good idea," said Sephiroth, "Aerith, maybe you can do that too. You look in the side-view mirror and tell me if you see any soldiers catching up to us."

"You mean like the ones in the red truck behind us?" Aerith asked.

"Ifalna, do you know how to drive?" Sephiroth asked.

"Yes. Faremis taught me."

"Take the wheel," he ordered, motioning for her to come over.

Ifalna climbed back into the front seat. Timing themselves carefully, Sephiroth jumped over the front seat while Ifalna slid underneath him, immediately stomping on the gas pedal. The vehicle lurched forward, sending Sephiroth tumbling over the seat.

"Sorry!" Ifalna called out over her shoulder.

Sephiroth set aside his sword and grabbed one of the rifles, checking to make sure it was loaded. Upon seeing it was, he moved toward the back door.

"Stay back!" he ordered Boxer and the two feline beasts. He then opened the door, which swung aside. He began to shoot.

"Don't kill them!" Ifalna pleaded, "Just shoot their tires out!"

"You're being way too easy on them," Sephiroth muttered as he obeyed. Soon, the truck behind them was careening into the guardrail. However, another one appeared and drove past the wreck, eventually catching up to the armored car.

"They've caught onto my red herring," Sephiroth realized, "Damn it. I was hoping it would take them just a bit longer."

He leaned out of the car and pulled himself up to the roof, where he cast a high-level lightning spell. The second truck swerved wildly, hitting the guardrail just like its predecessor. Sephiroth let himself back inside the vehicle.

"No matter…" he continued, "If worse comes to worse, the army only has two military-grade helicopters at their disposal. The rest of them are scattered all over the world."

He held up a small green orb, and could see the word "Comet" etched into it. He smiled wickedly.

Ifalna tried to keep her eyes on the road, but couldn't help but see the disturbing expression on Sephiroth's face.

"There's more of them!" Boxer shouted.

Sephiroth glanced out the back door and now saw two motorcycles approaching the car. Again, he lifted up the rifle and shot. The tires seemed to explode as both rider and bike went sprawling.

"HAHAHAHA!" Boxer laughed loudly, waving his hands tauntingly, "That's what you get when you mess with my new friend here!"

To everyone's horror, a shot rang out. Blood exploded from Boxer's head, and the goblin tumbled out of the armored car and onto the road where he lay still.

"NOO...!" Ifalna screamed as she looked in the rear view mirror.

Aerith began to cry.

Sephiroth stared in shock as the second bike soldier swerved around Boxer's body, still holding up the pistol he had just killed him with. Snapping back into action, he lifted up his rifle and shot the soldier in the chest. The soldier's eyes widened in shock as he tumbled over the guardrail to his certain death below.

"Sephiroth!" Ifalna cried out, horrified.

"What happened?" Aerith sobbed.

Ifalna glanced at her daughter, and then cast a sleep spell on the little girl before she could witness any more horrors.

Another shot rang out, and a bullet whizzed past Sephiroth, hitting the side window and causing a spiderweb-crack to appear.

Sephiroth continued shooting, no longer aiming at tires. Finally, after a few minutes, he crawled back toward the front seat.

"I had to do it," he said, "They're shooting to kill."

"They probably think it's better to cut their losses and cover this up," said Ifalna, not taking her eyes off the road.

"You're right," Sephiroth agreed, "But we'll be out of the city soon."

As Ifalna continued to drive, she began praying silently for the soul of Boxer, and everyone else who had lost their lives today.

* * *

Elmyra stared blankly at the doctor. "What do you mean, 'severed'?" she asked, not realizing what the man meant.

The doctor sighed. "Your husband, to put it in simple terms, is missing his left foot. It was cut off by a sword. Fortunately, he was found in time. We were unable to re-attach the foot without risking additional bleeding, which he could not afford. We simply healed the stump. He's going to be fine. He's being debriefed by some soldiers right now, but you'll be able to see him soon."

As if on cue, the door next to the doctor opened, and two elite members of the army- a man and a woman- stepped out.

"We're all set here," the male officer said to the doctor.

"Thank you," said the doctor. He turned to Elmyra, "You can go in, now."

"He's all right?" she asked the two soldiers worriedly.

"He'll be just fine," the female officer said, smiling in a way that did not reach her eyes. She turned to go when a small yellow orb fell out of her pocket.

"Excuse me," said Elmyra as she picked up the small object and held it out, "You dropped this."

The two soldiers turned around. The man quickly walked over to her and took it, smiling thinly.

"Thank you," he said.

He immediately turned around and walked back to his partner, who was now holding the elevator door open. The two quickly got in, the doors closing behind them.

* * *

"I wish I knew more," Wolff sighed as he shook his head, "But all I remember was running through the halls, dodging the monsters. I know I was on the trail of whoever it was that did all of this. But once I opened the door to the stairwell…that's where everything goes blank."

"I don't care about that," Elmyra said as she squeezed her husband's hand and smiled through her tears, "I'm just glad you're alive!"

"I'm out of a job, El…" Wolff sighed again, "I mean…those two soldiers assured me that my severance would pay off the rest of the mortgage, but still…"

"We'll figure out our next move," Elmyra reassured him, "I don't think I could go on if I'd lost you."

"Ah, sure you could have," said Wolff, "You're tougher than you give yourself credit for."

"I don't know about that," Elmyra said, "But we'll figure something out. I'll get a job. You'll qualify for disability."

"Maybe…" Wolff said thoughtfully.

"What is it?"

A grin slowly spread across Wolff's face. "With all of this free time I'm going to have, _maybe_ this is the time where we finally start trying to start a family. You had the right idea about getting a job. I'll be the one to stay home and take care of the rugrats, and you can work. It's a little unorthodox, but what do you think?"

Elmyra leaned over and kissed her husband.

"Hey, now!" Wolff laughed, turning his head away jokingly, "I didn't mean we start _here right now!_"

"Smart-alack!" Elmyra picked up a spare pillow and brought it down on her husband's head.

"Help me!" Wolff continued to laugh, "My wife is attacking an invalid!"

"I'll give you an invalid…!"

* * *

"Damn!" Sephiroth cursed as the armored car slowed to a halt.

"What's wrong?" Indigo asked, looking over her shoulder to see if they were being followed again.

"We've run out of gas," Sephiroth growled as he flung the door open and jumped out, looking around the wastelands surrounding Midgar, which was now a good twenty miles away.

"There's nowhere to hide," Ifalna said nervously as she opened the passenger-side door and slid out, leaving Aerith to continue sleeping inside.

"Eventually, a car will come," said Sephiroth, "We'll just have to do the same thing we did with the first one. First, we should try and take as much as we can from this vehicle. I've spent so much time either driving or defending, that I haven't had time to properly look through all the supplies we have in here."

Cobalt and Indigo hopped out of the back door, which was still open.

Sephiroth climbed in the back and opened one of the remaining two crates. He looked inside, finding extra ammunition for the rifle, which was now slung over his shoulder. Ifalna opened the other and began rummaging through. She lifted a belt with a large sheathed dagger out of the box, and a strange look came over her face.

"What is it?" Sephiroth asked, noticing her expression.

Ifalna scowled as an unfamiliar voice spoke in her mind:

"_...beautiful sparks…fit for the savior…"_

"Just nonsense," she sighed as she put the belt aside. She then looked at her mako-covered clothes, which were beginning to crust over. "I'm going to see if any of the clothes in there fit me. This dress is done for..."

Sephiroth nodded as Ifalna climbed back into the vehicle. As he waited, he began brandishing Masamune several times, looking restless.

"I hope you don't mind us walking off a ways to relieve ourselves," said Cobalt.

"After a bumpy ride like that…" Indigo added.

"Go on ahead," Sephiroth urged the two, "I need to speak to Ifalna for a moment, anyhow."

He watched the two quadrupeds walk off in different directions. After they were out of earshot, he knocked on the back of the armored car.

"I'll be done in a bit," Ifalna said from inside, "I was lucky enough to actually find an outfit for somebody shorter than five-and-a-half feet. We have been _very_ lucky today..."

The door opened and Ifalna emerged, dressed in an infantry uniform, save for the helmet, body armor, and scarf. "This brings back memories..." she giggled, "I wore the exact same outfit the first time I escaped from the Shinra. I really hope this doesn't become a recurring thing..." she broke off in a fit of helpless laughter. "Sorry..." she managed to say, "I'm giddy...it must be the fresh air...I haven't breathed it in five years!"

"I need to tell you something," Sephiroth said to her.

Ifalna glanced at Sephiroth, seeing the grim look on the boy's face, and her laughter died. _Later_, she told herself. Once they were safe at an inn, she could deal with her emotions. She still needed to be the grown-up right now.

"What is it?" she asked worriedly.

"I found out who my father is…" Sephiroth admitted reluctantly.

Ifalna's eyes widened. "Who?" she asked.

"You don't know?" Sephiroth asked, his voice bitter.

"Faremis was only just starting to tell me about the specific details of the Jenova Project," Ifalna explained, "He told me that your mother volunteered herself. I honestly assumed she used a sperm donor from the lab. I told you everything Faremis told me about your mother. Don't you think I'd tell you about your father too, had I known?"

"Hojo," Sephiroth blurted out, "Though you're not far off. Sperm donor is the right word to use for that hack who calls himself a scientist."

A pained look came over Ifalna's face. "Oh, Sephiroth…"

"Here come the others," the silver-haired youth quickly noted. He then turned around, as if listening carefully.

"What is it?" Ifalna asked.

"I hear a motor," Sephiroth announced as Cobalt and Indigo returned, "Be on your guard. If it's a car, we can capture it, or at least siphon the gas for the armored car. If it's the Shinra, then prepare for a fight." He quickly laid Masamune against the side of the vehicle before reaching in and grabbing a handgun, pulling back the slide. Placing it in his right hand, he grabbed Masamune again with his left hand.

The road ahead of them stretched around a large plateau in the distance. Within seconds, a vehicle could be seen emerging from behind the tall, chiseled rock. As it approached, they could see that it was a large van, with more than enough room to hold them all, not to mention their "spoils".

"Wait behind the armored car," Sephiroth told Cobalt and Indigo. He then looked at Ifalna. "Grab Aerith."

When the van was about fifty feet away, he ran out and raised his hand. When he saw the driver slow to a complete stop, he and the others approached the large vehicle. Sephiroth opened the door, revealing a stout, middle-aged woman sitting in the driver's seat. Her black hair was up in a braided bun, and she wore a simple button-down blouse and khaki pants. She appeared to be the vehicle's only occupant, which Sephiroth was thankful for.

"Can I help you?" she asked curiously, not looking the least bit frightened by the youth with both the gun and the long, wicked-looking sword.

"Please…we don't mean any harm…" Ifalna explained as she shifted the still-sleeping Aerith to her other shoulder, trying to hold onto both of her daughter's dangling legs. "We just need to get to somewhere safe."

"Shuroya?!" the woman exclaimed as she stared at the feline beasts, "Kimu!"

"Dr. Triton!" Cobalt exclaimed as he and Indigo began wagging their tails excitedly, "You truly are a sight for sore eyes!"

Sephiroth glared at the woman, looking confused. Ifalna glanced back and forth between the two quadrupeds and the strange woman who seemed to know them.

"Well, get in, all of you!" the woman urged, "Any friends of Shuroya and Kimu are good company in my book!"

Immediately, the group began filing inside the large van.

"Bugenhagen and the others have been terribly worried!" the woman said in a scolding tone as they drove off, "Where have you been?"

"The Shinra captured us and forced us to undergo several scientific experiments," Indigo explained, "But this young man helped us all."

"Not all of us…" Sephiroth muttered. Ifalna sighed and touched his shoulder.

"There were originally six of us," Cobalt explained, "Our friend was shot dead just before we got out of Midgar."

"I see…" the woman said solemnly.

"Who are you?" Sephiroth suddenly demanded, "And who are 'Shuroya' and 'Kimu'?"

"I am Shuroya," Cobalt answered.

"And my name is Kimu," Indigo said. "'Cobalt XI' and 'Indigo XII' are the names that Hojo gave us during the eighteen months that we were held captive."

"Why not just tell us your real names from the start?" Sephiroth asked irritably.

The two beasts looked at each other and then back at Sephiroth. They both shrugged at the same time, as much as their four-legged bodies allowed them to.

"This is our dear friend Dr. Harriet Triton," said Cobalt/Shuroya, "She is from Cosmo Canyon, which is where we reside."

"And I'm more than happy to give you all a lift back there," Dr. Triton offered, "It doesn't look like we're being followed at all, and the boat I intend to use to travel back home isn't docked at Junon, so we won't be searched before leaving."

Sephiroth frowned. "I thought Junon was the only major port on this continent."

"You do realize that a boat that _doesn't_ have the Shinra logo on it floats just as well as one that does, don't you?" Dr. Triton chuckled, "Don't worry, boy. We'll be just fine once we get to Heimar Port."

"How much room do you have back there?" Sephiroth asked, trying to peer over the woman's shoulder. "We've got some things we need to bring with us."

A worried look briefly appeared on Ifalna's face. As much as she wanted to get off this continent and out from under the Shinra's radar, she did not want a total stranger getting involved. If they got caught, this woman would likely do time for harboring fugitives and receiving stolen property.

"Here, why don't you and the child rest in back and I'll get out and help the boy with whatever it is," Dr. Triton said as she got out of the van. "I need to give my two friends a big hug anyway." With a grin, she approached the two beasts, her arms outstretched. "Come here, you two- you're not getting away so easily...!"

* * *

Hojo did not enjoy receiving phone calls from work during his days off. That was enough to thoroughly irritate him as it was. When he had been informed of the disastrous events that had occurred today, he was beyond livid.

All of his specimens had been freed, most of them killed in self-defense by the army and the Turks. One of them had made it to the highway before being shot in the head. But his five most important specimens were gone. Escaped. It had taken less than an hour. All evidence pointed to Sephiroth being the ringleader. Sephiroth. Fourteen long years of hard work and sacrifice…gone. Escaped into the night.

The worst part was that the president had decided not to pursue Sephiroth, given how many people he had killed while making his escape. In fact, the general public, and even most of the army were being warned to stay away from him for the time being.

"You created this monster!" President Shinra had screamed at him over the phone, "You're the one who had better figure out how to re-capture him, because I am _not _sending anymore troops out to be slaughtered by that abomination!"

Of course. _Now_, the boy was an abomination. When things had once seemed so promising, President Shinra was ready to take all the credit himself for Sephiroth.

"We're here, sir," the limo driver said nervously.

Hojo opened the door and quickly got out, not even bothering to close it as he stormed off toward the main entrance of the Shinra building.

* * *

The tiny port village of Heimar had a small inn, with a room available that was large enough for the party of six to stay in.

Aerith had woken up upon arriving, long enough to be introduced to their new benefactor. The little girl immediately hid behind her mother, who reassured her that Dr. Triton wasn't anybody to be afraid of. Still, Aerith became tense when Ifalna had excused herself to finally wash the dried mako from her hair and skin.

While conversing over dinner(courtesy of a hamburger stand that the older woman had gone to while everyone else stayed inside one of the two rooms she had booked), it was revealed that she had been visiting friends that lived near Fort Condor. Their daughter had gotten married, and she had just come from the wedding.

The doctor had once lived a life of luxury on Midgar's plate, treating the rich and famous whenever they were sick or injured. After taking a sabbatical and spending time at a Gaian temple on the island of Mideel, she began to question her admittedly shallow lifestyle. She reluctantly returned to work, and after a year of going through the motions, closed down her practice. She moved to Cosmo Canyon, where her nephew lived, and opened up a new practice.

"It was just the perfect place to live," she explained, "They say it's truly the heart of the planet and it simply resonated with me. Perhaps I have a bit of Ancient blood in my veins…the last of my kind, perhaps."

Ifalna looked away, trying not to laugh at the complete irony. She was thankful that Aerith had gone back to sleep again, or else the child would have corrected the woman. Her daughter would have to start learning how to keep secrets from here on out.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Sephiroth through the window. He was leaning against a tree outside, as if he had fallen asleep. The sun was starting to go down.

Excusing herself politely, she stood up and left the room.

* * *

He had enjoyed it. Hearing the monsters ripping everyone apart, shooting the soldier who had killed Boxer, and then shooting to kill everyone else that had followed. The goblin's death, as well as having to maim Wolff, were the only regrets he had about the escape. Everything else, had been perfect. Now they would be going across the ocean. Sephiroth hoped they would eventually be able to settle in Wutai, who had no interest with the Shinra. He spoke the language fluently(along with Costan), and was confident that Aerith would quickly pick up the language as well, given how young she was.

As he kept trying to think about the future, his mind kept traveling back to Wolff, and the pool of blood he had been lying in when Sephiroth had left him.

So much blood.

_You enjoyed that…_his conscience taunted him.

No he hadn't! Wolff was his friend, and Sephiroth desperately hoped that his body had gone into shock, preventing him from bleeding out too quickly.

However, seeing the horrified look on the trooper's face as he fell over the guardrail to his inevitable death…he would have done it again in a heartbeat.

_Do that…and so much more…_

Sephiroth suddenly clutched his head, which had suddenly begun to throb painfully. As he closed his eyes, he saw flames all around him. In his hands, he held a large, black orb.

_Take back the Planet…_

Sephiroth mind was overwhelmed by the sudden flood of memories.

Hojo slapping the five-year-old Sephiroth for refusing to co-operate…

Professor Gast, on the last day Sephiroth ever saw him…

Aerith's screams as an infant, when she was being experimented on…

Ifalna in the tank…Ifalna beaten by the guards…

Boxer, shot dead for what…?

Shuroya and Kimu…were the scars on their body from the Shinra?

_Take back the Planet…_

Yes…it was beginning to make sense.

His head stopped throbbing, and he opened his eyes, only to see Ifalna standing in front of him, staring worriedly.

"…don't look so well," Ifalna was saying.

He blinked, remembering where he was.

"Sephiroth?" Ifalna went over to the boy, "Are you all right?"

The young swordsman looked up at her from where he sat. He then smiled, remembering the message from his vision.

"Ifalna…let's take back the Planet together…" Sephiroth said earnestly, "Look how easily we escaped! We could do a lot more…the five of us."

Ifalna stared at the boy. Something wasn't right.

"What do you mean?" she asked uneasily, "Are you all right? Why don't you come inside, all right?"

"I had a dream…an epiphany just now," Sephiroth explained, "Shinra is trying to take over the entire planet…but I won't let them!"

"Sephiroth, you're not thinking clearly," said Ifalna, "It's late. We're all tired, and-,"

"They don't deserve it!" the boy hissed menacingly as he stood up, "Yet, they think they have the right! And then you heard what was on the radio! They're turning Midgar against us. The people of Midgar are no better. They outnumber the Shinra, and look at what they're allowing to happen!" He laughed bitterly as he looked around. "Worthless…all of them!"

"Even Wolff?" Ifalna pointed out.

Sephiroth winced slightly, but his overall demeanor remained unchanged. "Wolff paid a high price so that he can continue to live," Sephiroth acknowledged, not wanting to add his uncertainty over his friend's fate. His expression grew even darker. "They would probably have him killed if they ever found out he let us escape. I hope he leaves Midgar…because I have a good mind to go back there and torch the entire city…"

"Sephiroth…" There were now tears in Ifalna's eyes. "Innocent people were killed because of what you did…releasing all of those monsters…!"

"They would have hunted us all down and brought us back," Sephiroth argued, "Create a distraction. Don't give them a chance to come after you...it's basic war tactics!"

"It's _murder!_" Ifalna shouted, "Don't you understand, Sephiroth?! I hoped you'd be able to escape someday so that you could become the person I knew you could be! But it very well may be too late if you can't see what you did!"

The boy's eyes narrowed with a cold meanness that genuinely frightened Ifalna. He seemed genuinely unmoved by any of her pleas for compassion.

"Those dullards sealed their fate when they came to work for that corporate monster," Sephiroth maintained, "I could care less what happens to them!" A hint of emotion finally appeared in both his tone and expression as he continued: "You and Aerith are the ones I care about! You two are the ones I love!"

He then realized what he said, having never admitted it before. He turned away, looking extremely embarrassed.

Ifalna looked away as well, visibly torn.

"I love you too, Seph…" she said softly, "…and so does Aerith. We always have, and that won't change...but I didn't ask you to sacrifice the janitors…the interns…the maintenance workers…for me and Aerith. Don't you understand that they were somebody's child…somebody's parent…somebody's sibling…somebody's friend? They weren't in your way, Sephiroth. They just wanted to make a living, and come home safely. But they won't now. They won't be coming home…"

"No…" Sephiroth shook his head as he began to appear agitated, "Don't tell me this…!"

"You need to hear it, Sephiroth!" Ifalna argued, "You're old enough to make the kind of decision you did, and you're old enough to hear the consequences! They were in your way? Was that it? You know who else was 'in the way'? My husband! Hojo saw him as a threat, and he had him shot! Aerith will _never_ know her father because he was 'in the way'! You're so horrified to learn you're Hojo's son, but at this rate, you're headed down the exact same path as him if-!"

Her words were cut off as Sephiroth struck her across the face. The force of the blow sent her flying, hitting the ground with a loud thud.

A horrified look came across the boy's face as he realized what he had just allowed to happen.

"Oh god..." he said softly. Then, as if a spell had been broken, he ran over to Ifalna and knelt down beside her. "Oh god, what have I done...? Are you all right?"

He helped the dazed woman to a sitting position, leaning her against another tree. He then saw Ifalna's face already starting to swell.

"What is wrong with me…?!" he whispered as he shut his eyes tightly. "I'm so sorry, Ifalna...! I'm sorry...!"

Ifalna reached over and gently touched the boy's face.

"Sephiroth…"

The teen said nothing, unable to open his eyes and look at her.

"It's going to be all right, Sephiroth," she whispered fiercely, "You're going to be all right."

"How can you say that?" His voice was strained. "I just hurt you..._you_ of all people!"

"Don't worry about me," Ifalna said, looking away so that he couldn't see the damage he had done.

Sephiroth's breathing grew shallow. "…I don't want to be like…like _him!_"

"You don't have to be," Ifalna reassured him, "If you _realize_ the problem…then you can still fix it. You can still make things right. It's not too late!"

"Is this what's going to happen to me?" Sephiroth asked as he clutched his forehead with both hands. "Have I crossed the line? Can I even go back...?"

"You _can!_" Ifalna insisted, "You had a momentary breakdown, and because you're so powerful, people were hurt...they were killed. If the Shinra hadn't made you the way you are, maybe there would be some broken furniture, and that's it. But you _are_ what you are, and that's why you have to be careful. Don't ever rationalize your wrongdoings...you have to own up to them, even if they're painful. That way, you'll never do something like that ever again."

"I feel like there was someone inside my head..." Sephiroth said, as though in shock. He clutched his forehead with both hands. "...Feels like it's leaving, but what if it comes back?"

Ifalna closed her eye that wasn't already swollen shut. "Jenova..." she whispered.

"Is it going to take over my mind?" Sephiroth asked, finally allowing himself to look at her.

"Fight it!" Ifalna urged him, her voice quiet but determined. "You're strong, Sephiroth. But Shinra kept trying to make you think that being strong meant enforcing your will on others through violence, and that's not it at all. You can be strong by overcoming everything they've done to you...by still being a good person despite everything. Don't give up, Sephiroth...just like I always say...don't _ever_ give up hope!"

"I don't want to kill anyone ever again…" Sephiroth declared, his voice breaking, "…it's too confusing! Everything! Nothing makes sense…I'm starting to hear voices…!"

He buried his face in his arms and began to cry.

"Oh, Sephiroth…" Ifalna put her arms around the boy, "…it's over now. Shinra doesn't know where we are, and we're going to be on the other side of the world by the time they get their bearings. We'll go far away, where they have no jurisdiction…"

"-And that worked _so_ well for your husband..." Sephiroth said bitterly.

Ifalna backed away, clearly hurt. Sephiroth saw the tears in her good eye and instantly regretted his words.

"I-I'm sorry…" he managed to say, "I didn't mean to sound like…I'm sorry. I know I seem to keep saying that to you. I don't know why I said something so horrible like that to you of all people..."

He shut his eyes, ashamed.

"Because it's true," Ifalna admitted sadly, "We thought that a place so well-hidden would be safe. But its remote-ness meant we had no one to help us when Hojo…did what he did."

"Forgive me…"

Sephiroth and Ifalna turned around to see Shuroya and Kimu standing behind them.

"I deeply apologize for intruding," said Shuroya, "But Cosmo Canyon is home to many warriors. Their abilities with materia, and the fighting arts, are unprecedented. If there were ever an area that could hold off against an army, it would be our home."

"My mate is right," agreed Kimu, her yellow eyes bright with enthusiasm, "Consider a pair like us, who have called Cosmo Canyon our home for nearly two-hundred years. You two, as well as Aerith, would fit right in."

Ifalna leaned her head back against the tree, sighing with relief. "You have no idea how much hope that gives me…" she whispered. She then looked at Sephiroth, whose head rested on his forearms again. "Sephiroth? Doesn't that sound promising…?"

"…Fine," Sephiroth said miserably, "Just…let me be alone for now."

"Sephiroth…" Ifalna touched the boy's shoulder.

"Please, Ifalna," Sephiroth insisted, not moving, "I'm sure Aerith needs you right now. She'll be scared if she wakes up and doesn't see you there."

The Cetra nodded, and stood up. She put her hand to her face, and the swelling quickly disappeared. Heaving a sigh, she walked over the inn, Shuroya and Kimu following her. The three of them began to walk back to the inn.

"Ifalna..."

The young woman turned to look at Sephiroth.

"If real strength really is overcoming all the bad things in your life, and still being a good person..." he said, not looking at her, "...then you are, quite possibly the strongest person I've ever met."

A few tears made their way down Ifalna's face as she looked back at the boy, clearly moved. "...Thank you, Seph..." she said as her voice gave out.

Sephiroth watched as she went back inside. As soon as the door closed behind her, he lowered his head again and continued to weep.

* * *

"Mama!" Aerith wailed the next morning.

Ifalna's eyes shot open and she bolted upright, looking around. However, the bright sunlight streaming through the large windows of the room, forced her unaccustomed eyes to close again. The previous day had been overcast, and with everything that had happened, the possibility that the sun might be a problem, had slipped her mind completely.

"I'm here, Aerith!" Ifalna said, squinting and waving her arms, trying to feel where her daughter was. "What's the matter?"

"I can't see!" Aerith panicked as she covered her face, "My eyes hurt!"

Ifalna's hands found her daughter, and she pulled the little girl close to her, hugging her tightly. "Shh…don't worry sweetheart. You're just not used to the sunlight is all."

Sephiroth, who had already woken up and put his boots on, emerged from the bathroom, looking alarmed.

"What's wrong?" he asked sharply.

"The sun's a little too harsh on Aerith's eyes," Ifalna explained, still squinting herself. "Mine too."

"Maybe this will help…" Sephiroth said as he reached into his hip-pack that lay on the dresser next to his bed. He pulled out a familiar-looking pair of sunglasses and stood directly in the path of the morning sun. He stood up and walked over to them, and gently pried Aerith's hands away from her face. He then put the glasses on her. "Here- you can open your eyes now."

The little girl obeyed, and began to look around.

"It feels better…" she remarked, "Hey- these are the glasses Mama keeps next to her bed!"

"Sephiroth…" Ifalna was clearly moved, "You brought Faremis' sunglasses with you?"

"I only had a little bit of time to come by your room, but I know how much they meant to you," Sephiroth explained, "I remembered something else…"

He pulled out a materia orb, and handed it to Ifalna.

"Your 'good-for-nothing' materia," he said, finally managing a smile.

"Thank you…" Ifalna whispered as she took Sephiroth's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Can I keep wearing these?" Aerith asked, "I didn't know the sun was supposed to hurt. Seph, you told me the sun was a good thing!"

"I'm sorry…" Sephiroth apologized, "I didn't take into consideration the fact that you've never seen it directly before. Your window faces south, and the sun only goes from east to west."

"You look a bit like your father with those glasses," said Ifalna, "even if they _are_ a little big. You'll grow into them, though."

The little girl fell silent, staring off into the distance.

"Aerith?" Ifalna put her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Are you with us?"

"Papa agrees…" Aerith said finally.

Both Ifalna and Sephiroth stared at the little girl. "What are you talking about?" Sephiroth asked.

"He said he's been waiting to talk to me," said Aerith, "But he couldn't with all the bad energy coming from where we lived. He's gone already, but he said to tell you, Mama: he'll be back to talk to you…and that he missed you."

"You can talk to him?" Sephiroth asked, stunned.

Aerith looked at him and nodded. "He wanted me to thank you for getting us out."

Ifalna turned away, not wanting her daughter to see the tears in her eyes.

"I might need a pair of sunglasses myself…" she forced a laugh.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Everyone awake?" Dr. Triton asked from outside, "I thought I heard voices. Just thought I'd let you know that we'll be leaving soon. I'll be downstairs with Shuroya and Kimu having breakfast once you're ready. Once we're done, I can go get you all some new clothes...maybe a hat for Sephiroth."

"Thank you, Doctor," Ifalna called out. As soon as she heard the older woman walking down the stairs, she took Sephiroth's hand. "How do you feel?"

The boy sighed. Deep lines furrowed his brow, making him seem much older than his thirteen years. "I don't know…" he said quietly.

Before Ifalna could say anything, he opened the door and walked out, closing it behind him.

* * *

A/N: I didn't plan for this chapter to be finished as quickly as it was, but I woke up feeling pretty damned sick. The good news is that I had much more time to write and proofread. When life gives you lemons, make fanfiction, I guess. Lol.

Call me a softy, but since Aerith won't be living with Elmyra in this timeline, I couldn't have the poor woman living all by her lonesome. Let her have her own family, I say. :)

Hardcore fans might notice that I put in the characters that were created, but never included in the final version of FF7. Boxer was supposedly supposed to be a third optional character, according to rumors. Cobalt and Indigo(whose real names I made up), were also left out at the end, according to the Final Fantasy Wikia.

I never intended to keep Boxer around, though, as I figured a talking goblin who wears boxing gloves can only become another Cait Sith, and one Cait Sith is more than enough. I don't hate him with a passion like many others do, but I believe he should be used sparingly in fanfiction…and even canon.


	7. Chapter 6: Healing

Shout-outs:

Badnephilim: Thanks! And I know how that is staying up half the night reading fanfiction. As far as continuing to work on it- you bet! This entire story started off very difficult, but after a fashion, began to come out much more easily.

Frankannestein: To answer your question: the one whose sunglasses little Aerith is wearing now.

Destinykeyblade: Yeah, the original idea I had for Dr. Triton with Ifalna being injured and Seph getting her to the doctor in time just never really fit in with how I ultimately wrote their escape. Rather than force it to fit, I did something else.

JazzQueen: Like mother, like daughter, I suppose. Ifalna and Aerith both put up with a lot from their friends. I very much enjoyed writing the cry. Poor kid doesn't want a hug- he just wants to know for certain that things will get better. :(

Ardwynna Morrigu: I will diverge to the best of my ability, but if one can always allude back to canon once in a while, it's even more fun. If I'm able to put Sephiroth in drag instead of Cloud and make it work, I'll give myself a cookie. If _Aerith_ is the one who has to wind up in drag(she'd be just adorable in a little fat-suit and fake beard, dontcha think? XD), I'll make myself a cake. :D

* * *

Chapter 6: Healing

_"I know you're here…" Ifalna said as she looked around the endless green mist that swirled around her. "Please…it's been so long. Let me see you again!"_

_ A figure materialized in front of her, and she found herself looking into the kindly grey eyes of Professor Faremis Gast._

_ "You always did have such handsome eyes…" she said, blinking back tears and unable to move._

_ "I'm afraid I can't hide them behind my shades this time," he chuckled, "considering our beautiful daughter wears them now."_

_ "Aerith told me you spoke to her."_

_ "She looks exactly like you."_

_ "Maybe, but she has your curiosity, and your determination," Ifalna pointed out. Suddenly, she rushed over to her late husband and threw her arms around him, letting the tears fall freely._

_ "I'm sorry…" he whispered as he embraced her, "I should have hidden you somewhere safer." _

_"I never blamed you for that..." Ifalna wept, "Faremis...I've missed you so much!"_

_"I wanted to speak with you so much sooner. I could see you, but I couldn't reach you. That blasted building is so tainted with negative spirit energy. I waited so long, hoping I would one day be able to speak to you again."_

_ "And this is why you haven't merged with the Lifestream?" Ifalna murmured into her husband's neck._

_ "I want to see you and Aerith happy and safe," he said, "It's a shame you still haven't regained your memories."_

_ "No," said Ifalna, "and sometimes, I'm afraid to ever get them back. I worry it might make things worse instead of better. The reason why I was all alone. What if it was a horrible incident that I blocked out for a reason?"_

_ Gast released her and stepped back. "What if it wasn't? You told me the Planet was counting on you to help fix what was going on. You had a five-year setback, but you're on the right track."_

_"We had plans to go to Cosmo Canyon after Aerith was born," Ifalna suddenly recalled._

_Gast nodded. "There's a man there who I really wanted you to meet. His name is Bugenhagen. He's an old fellow, but I haven't run into him here yet, so I guess he's still alive. If you talk to him and the other elders over there, you and Aerith will learn a lot, I think. Plus, there's a little something I made over there, that I would love the both of you to see._

_ "I wish I could stay longer, but the current of the Lifestream is strong," he said as he was suddenly enveloped in spirit energy and carried off. "I love you, Ifalna! I'll try and find you again!"_

_ Ifalna put one hand to her mouth as she waved her other hand, choking back a sob._

* * *

"Mama, you look sleepy," Aerith observed as the group drove across the desert the next day.

"Just had some strange dreams keeping me up is all," Ifalna reassured her daughter, "I'll be fine."

The party of six had loaded the van onto a small ship, and sailed across the ocean with dozens of other travelers. It had taken a week before they arrived at a small port just south of the Corel Prison.

"There's a reason not many like to use this port to travel through," Dr. Triton had explained as they sat at a table on deck, "Occasionally, the news always explodes with the story of an escaped convict or two coming to the port and attempting to hijack one of the boats, or rob people. The Shinra News Network always exaggerates the story much more than it is, though. I suppose to convince people that traveling between Junon and Costa Del Sol is the only guaranteed safe way to travel. Never mind that they jack up the prices and search each traveler like a common criminal when you board, and when you disembark. No, thank you, I'll see past the hype, save my money and be treated with dignity if you please…!"

Aerith had been on her guard the entire trip, clinging to either her mother, or Sephiroth. Dr. Triton had been friendly to the little girl, but the lab coat that the woman wore had her on edge. Even when she had taken it off and promised to put it away until they reached Cosmo Canyon, Aerith was reluctant to reply to anything the doctor said to her.

"She's scared of most people," Ifalna explained to the doctor, "I can't really blame her. Even the sky seems to frighten her."

"The people of Cosmo Canyon are very friendly," Dr. Triton assured the young mother, "And there are a _lot_ of children there for her to make friends with. I should know...they're all my patients."

Sephiroth had requested that the doctor turn the radio on while they sat in their cabin. Every Shinra-related news station said the same thing regarding their escape: A band of terrorists had attacked Shinra headquarters, causing a fire and taking a shot at the president(and missing), before escaping into the night. One of the group had been dispatched by the army, though instead of it being a harmless sentient goblin, Boxer was now a nearly seven-foot-tall ogre of a man. The leader was merely described as a mysterious ex-army man. Strangely enough, they had described Sephiroth, Ifalna, and Aerith; but without much other explanation than the number to call if anyone were to see them.

To think that for so long he had believed everything that they had told him. Never again, though.

They had been driving across the desert all day, only stopping at a "last chance" gas station to stretch their legs, refuel, and eat the cheap hot dogs sold there. Nobody had enjoyed the low-quality food, but nor were they in a place to complain.

The doctor had bought chocolate bars for both Aerith and Sephiroth, who had simply stared uncertainly at the foreign objects. They had seen this food advertised on TV plenty of times, but had never seen it up close, much less eaten it. Only after Ifalna had encouraged them did they finally each take a tentative bite out of their respective treats. After that, they wolfed down the rest of the delicious new food. The soda had been even more intriguing. Both children agreed that the fizzy drinks felt strange running down their throats, but at the same time, they looked forward to the next time they would be able to drink Carbuncle-Cola.

Ifalna had been filled with hope upon seeing Sephiroth's brief enthusiasm over the junk food, and his slight amusement toward Aerith's new-found obsession with how many times the soda made the little girl belch. However, once the novelty wore off, he had slipped back into the grim silence that had been plaguing him since his breakdown at Heimar Port. Clearly, everything that had happened over the past several days had done something to him. Between the discovery of Hojo being his father, the stress of the escape, the guilt over the lives he had taken, and his violent outburst; Ifalna was truly afraid that the boy was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

She was at a complete loss of what to do.

"Oh, here we go!" Dr. Triton said excitedly, pointing ahead in the distance, "If you look now you can see the very top of the rocks. We'll be home in a good five minutes!"

"Yay!" Aerith cheered, bouncing up and down in her seat.

"I'm so glad…" Ifalna said softly as she hugged Aerith tightly.

"Where are we going to stay?" Sephiroth asked as he fiddled with the bottom of his new shirt.

"Well, I'm afraid my place is rather small," Dr. Triton admitted, "But I'll be glad to put you and the young ladies up for a few nights at Shildra Inn, at least until you all figure out what to do next. First thing's first, though. You absolutely must meet Bugenhagen. He's the village's chief elder. He'll want to personally thank you for saving Shuroya and Kimu. After that, I'm certain that he can figure out how to help you..."

* * *

A pair of guards led the group up a long series of steps that had been cut into the rocks. They passed through the open doors of various stores, which had built into the mountainside long ago.

"It's hot out here..." Aerith complained as she squinted at the sunlight. She put on the sunglasses, as she now did when there was even a glint of sunlight.

"You asked the other day why our new clothes didn't have sleeves," Ifalna reminded her, "This is why."

Sephiroth looked around curiously as they exited the Tiger Lily Arms &amp; Weapons shop. He had made a mental note to go back and check out the wares when he had a moment to himself.

He then noticed Aerith venturing too close to the steep edge of the cliff for his liking as she looked around. Instantly, he plucked the little girl off of the ground and began to carry her.

"Hey!" Aerith giggled.

"You're walking a little too close to the edge. No Aerith pancakes today, if you don't mind," he quipped.

Ifalna smiled, relieved to know that the boy was at least trying to hold it together for Aerith's sake. She began to look around as well. Scattered around the area were various wooden houses built on raised platforms. They had been visible upon entering the town, and were just as prevalent on the other side of the mountain. They were tiny huts, and it made sense to her that the doctor was unable to put them up for the night if her house was among them.

They found themselves inside again, walking past a large door.

"That door's been sealed shut for years," one of the guards said to Ifalna, "Make sure the kids stay away from there."

Sephiroth glared at the guard's back. Ifalna was not his "mommy" to be telling him what he could and couldn't do. Still, he kept his mouth shut, having learned long ago to pick his battles.

After climbing up the ladder that seemed to stretch for well over a hundred feet, they made it to the top of a giant plateau. Surrounding the hole leading back down, was a large building surrounded by a large wooden fence. Strangely enough, there was a gate, and a mailbox right outside, despite the steep drop right in front. Whoever lived here was either very eccentric, or had wings. Neither Ifalna nor Sephiroth were willing to dismiss either possibility, given the fact that they had been traveling in the company of two sentient lion-like creatures.

"Look how high we are!" Aerith exclaimed as Sephiroth finally set her down on the ground. The child was clearly not the least bit afraid of heights.

"Stay close to me, please," Ifalna said to her, afraid enough for the both of them.

"Elder Bugenhagen!" Dr. Triton called out as she knocked on the front door, "I'm back! And I've brought some people with me!"

"Ho-ho-hooo!" an old man's voice sang out cheerfully from inside, "Did you now? Then I'll have to ask you all to come inside right away!"

Dr. Triton jiggled the door handle. "Well, I would, Elder, but you locked your door by accident again."

The party could hear the old man chuckling as the door clicked and opened. The guards ushered the party inside, remaining outside to guard the door in case anything happened.

"Come in, everyone," the old man said, "Oh my! Kimu and Shuroya! This is quite a wonderful surprise indeed! Sit down, everyone!"

The group entered a simple kitchen area. Ifalna, Sephiroth, and Aerith did as they were instructed, and sat at a large wooden table in the middle of the room.

"We're so happy to be back," said Kimu as she padded over to the elder and put her paws on the table, allowing her to reach the elder and nuzzle his arm.

"Wow!" Aerith exclaimed as she pointed at the large green sphere that the old man was standing upon. It managed to levitate a good foot off of the ground.

"Ah, you like it?" the man asked.

"Can I have one too?" Aerith asked hopefully.

"Ho-ho-hooo…I'm afraid this little vehicle of mine is one of a kind," he replied, "My legs are too weak to walk on this terrain in my old age, and a wheelchair is thoroughly impractical here."

"Folks," Dr. Triton introduced, "This is Chief Elder Bugenhagen of Cosmo Canyon. Elder, this is Ifalna, her daughter Aerith, and their friend Sephiroth. They're refugees seeking shelter from the Shinra…boy, try saying _that_ three times fast…"

"Look!" Aerith pointed again. Two figures emerged from another room in the back. "More big cats!"

"I was right!" the red one said, looking behind its shoulder at the yellowish one, "Our brethren _have_ returned!"

It ran over and pounced on Shuroya, playfully biting his ear.

"Slow down, Nanaki!" Shuroya chuckled, "We're rather crowded as it is. Why don't we step out for a bit?"

Nanaki let the older-looking beast up and followed him out the door.

"Hello, strangers," the yellow beast said politely(sounding female), "My name is Deneh. You'll have to forgive Nanaki for not introducing himself. He's the youngest of all of us, and consequently, the most immature."

"You're not that much older," Kimu pointed out.

"Yes, but like humans, us females tend to mature at a speedier rate," Deneh said smugly.

"Why don't we give these folks some time alone?" Kimu suggested, "I know they have a lot to talk about with the chief elder. Let's give them room to do so."

Deneh tilted her head, regarding the trio of newcomers. She then nodded and followed Kimu outside.

"I cannot thank you enough for bringing those two back home," Bugenhagan said, his voice now solemn, a stark contrast to his earlier cheerful demeanor.

"I wasn't going to let Shinra experiment on anyone else," Sephiroth said darkly.

"So I take it you are the one responsible for rescuing them?" the old man asked, lowering himself to sit cross-legged on the floating sphere he had originally stood on.

"I'm responsible for a lot…" Sephiroth muttered, his face a mask.

Bugenhagen regarded the boy carefully, tempted to say something. However, he appeared to have changed his mind, and continued to speak regarding the sentient beasts:

"You see, these four are the last of their kind. If their species is to carry on, they must stay alive, and…ho-ho-ho-hoooo…" he chuckled, slightly embarrassed.

"Make lots of babies…" Ifalna echoed words spoken to her over five years ago. She recalled when Professor Gast had whispered that to her on their wedding night.

_"To save the species…of course!"_ he had maintained, but Ifalna could still see the mix of lust and mischief in her late husband's eyes.

"Outspoken where I'm just slightly delicate when it comes to speaking of such matters," Bugenhagen chuckled.

"The last of their kind…" Ifalna sighed, "I understand that all too well…"

"Oh?" Bugenhagen perked up.

"Elder…my husband met you many years ago. His name was Professor Faremis Gast."

The old man raised his eyebrows and smiled happily. "Does this mean the little one here is…?"

"Our daughter," Ifalna finished the sentence proudly.

"These are his sunglasses!" Aerith said, touching the edge of the rectangular lenses and pushing them back onto the top of her head.

"I remember!" Bugenhagen chuckled, "Ah, and now that I see your eyes, I see your father's curious sparkle in them. I'll bet you're a curious one too, are you not?"

"You have no idea," Ifalna chuckled.

"Gast would be proud indeed. I was saddened to hear word of his passing."

"Did you hear the _truth_ of how he died, or the made-up story?" Sephiroth asked bitterly.

Bugenhagen said nothing, regarding the youth with a sorrowful expression. Dr. Triton glanced at the boy, as if deciding whether or not she wanted to say something.

Just then, footsteps could be heard from above. Someone was climbing down the ladder in the back of the room. A set of boots appeared in the top of the doorway, and a figure jumped down, landing on the ground in a crouch. An athletic-looking man in his 30's looked up at everyone and smiled. He was covered in oil and sweat, as if he had just been working hard at some kind of repairs. Brushing his disheveled honey-blond hair out of his eyes and tucking it back underneath a red bandana, he stood up and took a good look at the group in front of him.

Dr. Triton smiled. "Ah, so what have you wrecked now?" she joked.

"Ah, and the Dragon Lady returns!" the man said warmly, "Who are your friends?"

"Folks," Dr. Triton said sweetly, ignoring the derogatory nickname, "That grease-ball you see standing in front of us, is my nephew...unfortunately. Barnabas Duran: local handyman, grappling expert, weapons aficionado, and Shinra's _biggest_ fan…" The last sentence was dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, don't you wanna give your favorite nephew a big hug?" he teased as he held his hands out for the doctor and began to approach her.

"Boy, I will kick you into next week if you touch me with all that sweat and grease!" Dr. Triton shrieked as she hid behind Ifalna, who looked utterly confused.

Barnabas stopped, as if remembering there were guests in the room. He looked sheepishly at his feet and laughed.

"Well, now," he said, slightly embarrassed, "See what that old lady does? Makes me forget my manners!"

"Don't blame me for your own short-comings," Dr. Triton retorted, though there was clearly no real malice in her voice.

"Oh, my aunt is so _funny!_" Barnabas fake-laughed. He turned to look at the newcomers. "I'd shake your hands, but I'm a mess right now."

"My name is Ifalna," the Cetra introduced herself, "This is my daughter Aerith, and our friend Sephiroth. Aerith, say hello."

"Is he our new guard?" Aerith asked.

"No, no, sweetheart…" Ifalna said, kneeling down in front of her, "That's all over now. No more guards for you and me, no more scientists…no more Shinra."

"What's gonna happen now?" Aerith asked, still not really getting it.

"Well," said Ifalna, "You get to go to school now, like regular children do. You'll get to play outside, make friends with other children, try all sorts of new foods, and most of all…we'll have you learn to be tough, so no one from Shinra ever bothers us again."

Barnabas looked at his aunt, completely confused. Despite protesting over his sweatiness just moments ago, the woman went over to him and leaned in(though still not touching him), whispering in his ear:

"They were prisoners of Shinra."

Barnabas stepped back, looking outraged. That tiny girl had been imprisoned by the Shinra?

"What about shots?" Aerith asked, "I haven't had one in…" She began to count on her fingers. "…seven days!"

"I know," Ifalna said, smiling excitedly, "Me too!"

"Are the shots all over?"

Dr. Triton stepped forward. "Well, I'm the one around here who gives people shots," she said, "but I'll hardly ever have to do that to you. And if I do…well, tell me: did the people at Shinra ever give you kids sea-salt ice cream after giving you a shot?"

Aerith shook her head.

"Well, _I_ do…" the doctor said in a sing-song voice.

"What's ice cream?" Aerith asked.

Barnabas' face fell.

The woman's eyes twinkled. "Something even better than chocolate."

Aerith immediately held out her arm. Ifalna, the doctor, and Bugenhagen burst out laughing.

"You know, why don't I just get you the ice cream and we won't bother with the shot?" Dr. Triton said as she held out her had for Aerith to take. She then looked at Ifalna. "I'm at building number twenty-eight. Barnabas can show you the way…I mean…if you don't mind her coming with me…"

"Go ahead," Ifalna said warmly, "Aerith, you do what the doctor says, all right?"

"I will!" Aerith said as she smiled and took the doctor's hand, "Can Seph come too?"

"If he wants. Sephiroth, would you like to join us?"

Intrigued by the prospect of more previously forbidden food, Sephiroth nodded and followed them out the back door.

"She doesn't even know what ice cream is…" Barnabas sighed. He looked at Ifalna. "I'm so sorry for whatever it is you went through. I grew up in Midgar…it took me a long time to realize how messed-up that place is..."

Bugenhagen cleared his throat suddenly.

"Oh geez- sorry, sir," Barnabas apologized, "The professor's machine is up and running again. Just needed a good oiling. No software problems at all."

"May I see it, please?" Ifalna blurted out.

Bugenhagen chuckled again. "So he told you about it, eh?"

"He did," Ifalna said, wondering whether or not to tell the man that it was _after_ he died that he had told her.

"Come, come!" the old man stood up and levitated over to the door in the back, "Both of you, follow me. Ifalna, was it? I think you'll love what I'm about to show you."

"I'll just wash up out back if that's not a problem," said Barnabas, "The last thing we want is your place smelling like…well…me. I'll just wait here when I'm done."

"Very well, then," Bugenhagen chuckled as he opened the door and motioned for Ifalna to follow.

* * *

"Try putting the bottom of your tongue against the roof of your mouth," Dr. Triton suggested, "That's what I do whenever I get brain-freeze."

Sephiroth obeyed, grimacing as he clutched his head. Thankfully, he found the sharp stabbing pain in his head slowly fading.

"Feel better?" the older woman asked.

Sephiroth nodded, taking a deep breath and exhaling. Planet alive, that had been excruciating.

"I hope that doesn't ruin your enthusiasm for cold treats," said Dr. Triton, "I suppose the fact that you haven't thrown your popsicle away is a good sign. But a word of advice, Sephiroth: never, _ever_ take a bite out of something cold like that. Those are not meant to be chomped on. I'll bet doing that made your teeth hurt as well?"

Sephiroth nodded again.

Aerith giggled. "You looked so funny, Seph."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, then raised his hand, stretching his fingers out.

"No!" Aerith giggled loudly, using her free hand to cover her ribs. She knew when he raised his hand like that, he would try to tickle her.

Sephiroth took a menacing step forward, causing Aerith to squeal and hide behind the doctor. She resumed slurping on her popsicle while keeping a wary eye on the older boy.

The trio stood outside of the doctor's office, having only been inside to fetch the two sea-salt ice cream popsicles from the freezer. Dr. Triton had wanted Aerith to get as much sun as the child could manage. She was still pale compared to the other residents of Cosmo Canyon, but at least she wasn't as white as the ghost she had looked like a week ago.

Dr. Triton regarded the boy carefully, and then began to speak:

"Sephiroth, have you ever been to Mideel?"

"Mm-mmm," he replied negatively, his mouth full while he sucked on the frozen treat.

"It's a beautiful place," said the doctor, "I told you about the temple I spent time at. A lot of people from here travel down there to gain a better understanding of the planet. The monks that live there, they're unlike the monks you meet at a Wutaiian temple, or anywhere else.

"Most monks live their lives by denying themselves. They take vows of silence, depriving themselves of meaningful conversation. They take vows of poverty, depriving them the means to explore what life has to offer. They take vows of chastity, depriving themselves of love. Personally, I think that last one is the worst of the vows.

"Gaian monks, however, they're not like that. Monk families live within the temple walls. They have jobs outside of the temple, but they come home, they clean the grounds, cook their meals, and study all that there is to know."

"So how are they even monks?" Sephiroth asked, "Isn't asceticism the entire point of being a monk?"

"A Gaian monk is someone who dedicates their life to serving the planet, and spreading wisdom by example," said Dr. Triton, "And worldly pleasures are never excessive in the lives of monk, so don't assume they're all fat, lazy, lecherous oafs."

She spied Aerith talking to another little girl, who happened to be one of Dr. Triton's neighbors. Making sure to keep an eye on her, she allowed the child to continue socializing. Gaia knew the child deserved to make some friends her age.

"Why are you telling me about this?" the boy wanted to know.

"The temple is the most peaceful place I've ever been to," said the doctor, "Just one glance at you, and I see so much turmoil. What's more, I see how worried Ifalna is about you. I don't know the details, but you could use some time to heal."

"Not in Mideel," Sephiroth said as he shook his head, "Ifalna and Aerith need me here."

"I've been thinking about that," the woman spoke, placing her index finger under her chin thoughtfully. "If the Shinra are looking for you, then it may be a good idea for you to split up. If the worst happens and they locate you…wouldn't it be better if only one or two of you are recaptured, rather than all of you?"

Sephiroth sighed, knowing the woman was right. It was, after all, common sense as far as war tactics went.

"When I visited the monks, I was confused as well. No, not at the depth that you're at, but all the same, they have the power to heal…not just physically, but emotionally, and spiritually."

"It would take a miracle to fix me," Sephiroth muttered.

"It would take _time_," Dr. Triton said, "You're still lucid. You still realize something is wrong. I think you can be saved, and I think the temple is the best place to start. I'm not asking you to make a decision right away. Just think about it…but give it some good thought."

Sephiroth marveled at how much the older woman's words reminded him of what Ifalna had said…not just last week, but years ago, when the two had first met, talking through a vent:

_"__You don't have to make any decisions today. Or tomorrow…not next week…not next year…"_

Out of the corner of his eye, Sephiroth saw the door to Bugenhagen's home opening. Barnabas exited first, followed by Ifalna, who looked to be lost in thought. Barnabas could be seen looking around. He then caught sight of Sephiroth and Dr. Triton. He waved at them, and motioned for Ifalna to follow him.

"Well, what did you think?" the doctor asked Ifalna.

The woman smiled brightly. "It was…amazing…truly Faremis' masterpiece…and to think that he created that before he even…" she trailed off.

"Before what?" Dr. Triton asked.

"No, I'm just about to start rambling again," Ifalna laughed, "Don't mind me, please!"

Ifalna had told Bugenhagen everything. About her heritage, her amnesia, her hopes, and her fears. Something about the old man comforted her, compelling her to be honest. Still, she was hesitant to be as honest with Dr. Triton, no matter how kind and helpful she had been.

Perhaps later.

"Mama!" Aerith's little friend had just left, and the five-year-old threw her popsicle stick into a nearby trash can. She ran over to Ifalna. "The ice cream made my tongue blue!" She opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out.

"Well, look at that," Ifalna marveled.

"I suppose it's time for me to open up my office," the doctor sighed, "Oh well. Back to work, I suppose. Barnabas- I don't suppose you could take our three newcomers over to the inn? I already called in their reservation over the phone when we were on the road, so they'll be expecting our new friends."

"Sure," Barnabas said, adjusting his bandana, "Just follow me, you three."

Ifalna smiled and took Aerith's hand. She and Barnabas listened attentively to the little girl prattle on about her first taste of ice cream. Sephiroth trailed behind silently, stopping for only a moment to glance back at the doctor.

She caught his glance, and smiled at him.

Sephiroth managed a polite smile, and nodded before he quickly looked away.

* * *

A/N: I've started watching "Let's Play" videos of FF7 on youtube, so I could give much better descriptions of the area. Hope it works! And yeah, I thought i'd throw in a Kingdom Hearts reference into this chapter. :)


	8. Chapter 7: The Resistance

Time for shout-outs! My goodness- the ice cream and junk food seems to be a big hit.

Frankannestein: At that point, all Sephiroth really sees is Wolff's soldier uniform. He's long since come around, though. :)

Greatazuredragon: Thanks. I'm looking forward to getting the first part of this story finished. It won't be too long now before we have another time jump.

WhiteInfinity21: I wouldn't say that Ifalna has raised him, so much as she's been like a big sister presence in his life. Check out "Us &amp; Them Rebooted" by Madcap Minstrel if you like the idea of Ifalna(and Professor Gast) actually raising Sephiroth alongside Aerith.

Badnephilim: As far as Sephiroth's brainfreeze goes, Aerith certainly thought it was funny. Sadly, even a sugar crash can mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield, so no treats for the general. Altered timelines are my favorite FF7 fanfics.

Faunalind: I always figured Jenova was waiting for either Seph, Angeal, or Genesis to snap, and use any one of them to her advantage. Sadly, it was Sephiroth who ended up in that situation. Now that his mind's breaking 12 years early, she's reaching out, regardless of the distance between them. Thankfully, he's about to meet people who will be able to help him immensely.

Expect to see a lot of "Sweaty Barnabas". He's a very important OC, and you will soon start to see why. Keep in mind though, you will eventually see the rest of the canon characters as well. They're just too young right now to make any real impact on the story. Yuffie hasn't even been conceived yet at this point. :P

Ardwynna Morrigu: Being sick can have its upsides. When you're too sick to go to work, all that time in bed allows you to put a lot of words to (virtual)paper.

JazzQueen: Nanaki will be a good(and cuddly) friend for little Aerith.

* * *

Chapter 7: The Resistance

Ifalna strolled around the main area of town, hoping to find a clothing store. Earlier in the day, she and the children had taken all of their stolen Shinra goods, and pawned most of them(save for several powerful materia) for a good sum of money. She gave a small amount to Sephiroth, declaring today to be about the three of them having fun. She had spoken to the woman who worked at the Tiger Lily shop, and was given directions to a clothing boutique. After twenty minutes of looking, she wasn't having much luck. She couldn't help but wonder if she had always been this bad with directions.

"Hello, Ifalna!" a voice suddenly called out.

Ifalna looked around until she saw Barnabas standing near a large platform, with a large bonfire burning in the middle. Standing next to him was a lean older man with thinning grey hair. Both men were each carrying a gym bag on their shoulder.

She smiled and waved before approaching him.

"Wandering around town all alone, 'milady'?" Barnabas remarked good-naturedly as he raised an eyebrow, "Where's those two kids? Sampling more junk food?"

"That…erm…Nanaki, I think his name was?" Ifalna stumbled for the right word to describe the red beast, "Well, he offered to show Aerith and Sephiroth where all the children go to play. I said it would be fine, so they've been gone for the past half-hour."

"He probably took them to the little maze of caves on the other side of the mountain," said the older man, "It's near the elementary school. Children love to play hide-and-seek in there because of all the twists and turns. But before you ask, no, it's impossible to get lost in there. All you have to do is keep walking, and you'll eventually find yourself at one of the three entrances of the caves. Finding every last corner and path of that area…that's a different story. It's got more twists and turns than Wutai's Da Chao mountains."

"I just like the idea of the kids finally making some friends," Ifalna said with a smile. She then glanced at the older man, wondering who he was.

"Allow me to introduce you to my grappling instructor," said Barnabas, "Ifalna, this is Master Terrato, head of the fighting school, and a role-model to many. Master, this is Ifalna; our newest resident."

"Pleased to meet you," Ifalna said as she and the older man shook hands.

"Likewise," he replied, "Barnabas is my top student, and he's told me a little bit about you."

"I thought that the two of you should meet as soon as possible," Barnabas explained, "If you got a moment, we'd both like to speak with you. Given your past, I think you'd be very interested in listening to what Master Terrato has to say."

Ifalna nodded, figuring she could always wait until the children came back before outfitting them all.

"Follow me," Terrato said with a smile, "We'll go somewhere public, but comfortable, where we can all talk…"

* * *

"Nanaki, how old are you?" Aerith asked bluntly.

"Thirty-one," the red beast answered.

Aerith giggled. "I think you're older than my mother."

"Thirty-one is only about ten in human years," said Nanaki, "Deneh and I are kids like you. Shuroya and Kimu are the adults. They had the life-mating ceremony, or what you humans would refer to as a 'wedding'. Now we're just waiting for them to start a family."

"You mean they'll have babies one day?" Aerith asked, intrigued.

"Correct," said Nanaki.

Aerith reached out and patted the beast's nose. "I wonder if their fur would be as soft as yours?"

"That's the second time you've done that already," the young creature groused.

"You said your nose was itchy before!" Aerith argued.

"That wasn't an invitation to go scratch it yourself!" Nanaki protested.

"That's just Aerith being 'helpful'," Sephiroth piped up.

Nanaki turned and regarded Sephiroth carefully. "So you _do_ know how to speak. I was beginning to wonder."

Sephiroth wasn't sure what to say in response to that. Instead he asked:

"Have you and your people always lived here?"

"Yes. My tribe were protectors of those who appreciate this beautiful canyon, and the planet," Nanaki answered proudly, "The four of us are the last of our race."

"_I_ like this place," Aerith said brightly, "Will you protect _me_ from the bad people?"

Nanaki's tail waved from side to side. "Of course!" he answered cheerfully.

"Why are there so few of you left?" Sephiroth asked.

Nanaki seemed to deflate slightly. Both his head and tail drooped suddenly.

"You don't have to answer if it's too painful," Sephiroth said apologetically, "We all have some kind of baggage."

"It's all right," said Nanaki, "Our people did once thrive, until we were invaded by an enemy tribe twenty years ago. You see, we had been at odds with a society known as the Gi Tribe. They practiced black magic."

Aerith scowled. "Black magic?"

"Yes. They commanded the elements for the purpose of gaining power. Despite being against the then fledgling Shinra company, their practices were just as questionable."

"In short, they were hypocrites," Sephiroth concluded.

"Yes," Nanaki agreed solemnly, "They were. When they attacked, my people sacrificed themselves to protect the residents of this place…as a penance. When the Cetra were decimated so many centuries ago, my people blamed themselves for failing to save them. You see…we originated as their familiars, but evolved alongside of them."

"Aerith- don't wander off too far!" Sephiroth called after the child, wondering why the caves seemed to interest her more than learning about her people.

"Don't worry," Nanaki reassured the boy, "Any child can easily find their way out of here. All they have to do if they get separated from their friends, is to wait by the front gate. Let's follow her and enjoy ourselves!"

He turned and bounded off into one of the cave openings, leaving the serious discussion for another time.

Sephiroth shrugged his shoulders and took off after his new acquaintance.

* * *

"Where are we?" Ifalna asked as Barnabas and Terrato led her into an ice cream parlor.

"This is the 'Ice Palace'," Barnabas told her as he led her to a small table and sat down. "I brought us here early, about an hour before the noontime rush. They've got everything from ice water, to frozen drinks, not to mention ice cream and frozen yogurt."

"Oh my…" Ifalna said as she set her handbag aside and sat down. She picked up a menu. "I feel like the kids right now. I'm afraid I haven't had anything nice like this in…I can't remember. The last time I was free, I was living up north near Icicle Inn. Hot chocolate was more their specialty."

"I'm glad we can help add a little something bright to your world, then," Barnabas said, suddenly solemn.

"Oh, cheer up, you!" Ifalna said, forcing a smile, "If I'm not going to dwell on my captivity, then I forbid _you_ to do so!"

"I'm just very upset to know my hunch was so damned accurate," said Barnabas.

Ifalna scowled. "Your hunch?"

"Welcome to The Ice Palace!" a waiter said cheerfully, "What can I get you?"

"One 'Sour Apple Blitz'," said Barnabas.

"Lemon vitamin water with ice," Terrato requested.

The waiter scribbled down the order and then looked expectantly at Ifalna.

"Uh…" Ifalna looked at the menu. She then closed her eyes and brought her index finger down on a random spot on the menu.

"Blue Raspberry Cyclone…" the waiter said as he wrote it down, "I'll just take your menus and be back with your orders in a few. Thank you!"

Barnabas watched the waiter leave, and then spoke:

"I originally lived in Sector Seven. I was a Shinra employee. Just a part-time delivery driver going to Sector Three Community College. Wanted to save some money so I could transfer to Ragnarok University, and Shinra was always the highest-paying employer. Pretty much a no-brainer when you're seventeen.

"So one morning, I'm unloading barrels with my co-workers. Something went very wrong, and one of the barrels wasn't fastened tightly. I get drenched with what I found out later, was mako. I was freaking out…everyone was. Mako was still experimental back then, and I thought I'd either mutate into some kinda monster, or that I'd get cancer and die. After a crapload of tests, they determined neither would happen, and we all went about our lives. Then my bosses noticed how much stronger I became. Somebody talked, and back to the labs for testing I went. They told me it was the mako that made me stronger, and began dousing me in even more of the stuff. Eventually, they started offering me a lot of money for a mysterious "position" in their science department.

"I always prided myself on my gut, and just like all the other times in my life, it warned me that something was up. I asked them for a couple of days to look over the contract they drew up, told them I wanted to show it to a friend who was a lawyer…just gave 'em a whole bunch of B.S. It bought me just enough time to get the hell away from them. I took a ride out of Midgar with Master Terrato, who happened to be leaving for Cosmo Canyon. I never looked back."

Ifalna stared carefully at the younger man.

"Quite a story, I know," he chuckled.

"You don't know anything about me," Ifalna said, shaking her head reproachfully, "Who's to say I really was a prisoner, and not a spy hired by Shinra to track you down and bring you back? Maybe I was going to use my daughter to get you to let your guard down. It's the kind of thing a Shinra employee would do. I could have used that information, and had you in custody by the next day."

Barnabas raised an eyebrow at Ifalna. "I don't think that's true at all. Maybe _you_ could have been a great actress, but no five-year-old can act that open and sweet, and have such a deceitful mother. It wouldn't be possible."

"So you just told me your big story after knowing me for approximately one day because…?"

"Because the people of Cosmo Canyon hate the Shinra with a passion," said Terrato, "We embody the exact opposite traits that the Shinra embodies. They lie, steal, bribe, threaten and enslave. Here, well, I could tell you until I'm blue in the face, but I'd rather you simply take the time to see for yourself."

"Here are your drinks," the water said briskly as he unloaded the glasses on his tray onto the table. "Enjoy!"

"What exactly is it that you're trying to get at?" Ifalna asked. She then began sipping her drink through the fancy colored straw, marveling at it changed colors when the drink touched the inside.

"Cosmo Canyon is more than just a community that is against Shinra in passing," said Terrato, "I mean the fact that we're offering you, a fugitive, asylum here. I know that Kimu told you as much, but she didn't go into detail. That's where I come in."

Ifalna eyed the older man carefully. "Go on."

Terrato nodded. "There are a lot of stories from the residents of this sanctuary. It's not just Barnabas, and it's not just you and those children. There are many people here who have been wronged by the Shinra. They've lost their jobs, their homes, their families, their pride, even innocence…and people are getting restless. They want justice. They want revenge. They want the planet to still be standing when their grandchildren are born."

"No one knows why we all managed to gravitate to the same place," said Barnabas, "though we all got our theories…most of them involving Elder Bugenhagen. He has the 'semi-senile wise old man' demeanor, and he just chuckles when people have asked him if he summoned us all here. Like him, we're all devoted to the planet's well-being. Call us eco-warriors, if you will…or at least, we aim to be. Ex-soldiers who train their children in the art of combat, hoping for the day when we can strike back at Shinra…our formidable numbers burying that fascist regime like an avalanche."

"You aim to declare war on Shinra?" Ifalna asked, her fingers clenching around her drink nervously.

Suddenly, the glass shattered in her hand, the shards cutting her skin as the blue slush splattered onto Ifalna, and the table. With a cry of pain, she stood up, and stared at her now bleeding hand.

"Are you all right?" Barnabas exclaimed as he and Terrato stood up as well.

"The mako tank…" Ifalna mumbled, completely overwhelmed.

She had noticed for a while that had become much stronger since coming out of the mako tank. From the way she had stomped down on the gas pedal during their escape, to having more energy, and now this.

It was too much. She turned around, and ran out the establishment, through the back exit leading into the pedestrian transit tunnels. She kept running, faster than she had ever known herself able to.

Only until she remembered her bleeding hand did she manage to stop. She ran her other hand over the wound, closing the cuts, leaving nothing but residual blood on her hand. She the looked up and realized she was standing in the middle of a large cavern with a natural-looking fountain gushing in the middle. For a moment, her mind went blank as she stared at the beautiful sight.

A two-foot-high wall made of cobblestone circled around the ten-foot spray of water, which pooled at the bottom, where it looked to be about a foot deep. The floor and ceiling were completely smooth, as if they had been painstakingly polished. On opposite sides of the cavern, there were two stone benches.

"So you found the Geomancer's Grotto."

Ifalna jumped, startled out of her reverie. She turned and saw Barnabas standing behind her.

"Beautiful place," he went on, "No one really knows when this was created. People say it was the work of the Ancients; a particular group of folks known as geomancers."

Ifalna kept staring at the fountain, but the word "geomancer" triggered something inside of her. No memories were awakened, but she was certain that "geomancer" held some kind of importance to her.

"Master Terrato worried you might be overwhelmed when we told you all of this," said Barnabas. "I'll admit, it's a lot to take in. We were only trying to make you understand just how secure you'd be here."

"Secure…" Ifalna whispered, shaking her head. "Were Shuroya and Kimu 'secure'?"

"That was another terrible thing to happen," Barnabas sighed as he stared at the fountain. "They're life-mates. Husband and wife, you could say. Really, they were newlyweds. And they were on what _their _people refer to as the 'life-mate pilgrimage'. It's what _we_ refer to as a honeymoon. They wanted to go to the Ancient Forest. They never came back."

"I see…" Ifalna said, nodding sadly. "Having something so wonderful end so brutally. I can relate all too well."

After all, she had just given birth to Aerith only a few weeks ago back then. She and Faremis had just started a family…only for Hojo to destroy their life together.

"Now…" Barnabas said slowly, "…I doubt they'll ever want to leave here again."

"That's how I feel," Ifalna said, wrapping her arms around herself in response to the chill creeping up her spine. "You have this area guarded like a fort. Shinra's army would really have to make an effort to get to us."

Suddenly, Barnabas winced painfully as he sank to one knee, clutching his leg painfully.

"Are you all right?" Ifalna asked.

"Just a cramp," Barnabas grunted, "I'm a grappler- not a runner. I had to give it all I had to keep up with you."

"I'm sorry…" Ifalna couldn't think of anything else to say as she knelt down next to him.

"You're a fast runner," he remarked, laughing in spite of the pain.

"I didn't used to be," she said, her hands fidgeting nervously, "You had mako spilled on you by accident. I was submerged in it for two months, although I'm sure they would have done something to weaken me afterward, if they had the chance. And of course, Sephiroth has had injections of it all of his life, and then some."

"God, I feel like it's my fault," Barnabas said, shaking his head sadly.

"They would have figured out what mako can do to people eventually. It's the fault of people like Professor Hojo, President Shinra, and all of the people who allow these atrocities to happen," Ifalna corrected him, "But you're underestimating the Shinra if you think that one settlement can adequately wage war with such an advanced organization."

"It's not open war we're talking about," said Barnabas, "Not yet, anyway. That could be a good fifteen-to-twenty years away."

"Perfect," Ifalna laughed bitterly, "Aerith will be just the right age to march right into battle."

"Unlike the Shinra, we'd never force her to do anything she didn't want to," Barnabas said quickly, "I think I'd rather see that kid find her 'happily ever after', wouldn't you?"

Ifalna watched as Barnabas struggled to stand up. For a moment, she hesitated, but then reminded herself that no one here would punish her for doing the right thing.

"Here, let me…" she said as she put her hands on his leg. A soft green glow emitted from her palms.

"Wow…" Barnabas remarked, "That feels different."

Ifalna smiled kindly at him. "Now stand up."

Warily, Barnabas got to his feet and leaned on his afflicted leg. To his surprise, the pain was gone.

"That's some pretty strong materia you have on you," he stated.

"I don't have any materia on me," she said.

Barnabas stared at her. "What are you talking about?"

Ifalna's muscles began tensing up. She knew it was now or never.

"I'm a Cetra," she blurted out.

Barnabas and stared at Ifalna, but did not respond. The woman continued to speak:

"Well, you knew the Shinra had me imprisoned, and that they're trying to track me down. But it seems like the only difference between your story and mine is that you were clever enough to get out while you had the chance. Me…I had, and still have amnesia. I thought the Shinra were trying to help me when they took me in. But all it took was a few blood tests, and they realized I wasn't human…and there went my freedom.

"But it's hard…you see, if I had refused the Shinra's help in getting my memory back, I'd have never met Aerith's father. And I just can't imagine my life without my daughter. It sounds cliché, but it's like imagining life without air, or water: impossible."

Barnabas nodded thoughtfully.

"I can read people," said Ifalna, "So can Aerith. I guess you could call it a 'gut feeling' like yours. But my problem is, I didn't trust it after I lost my memory. How can you when you've forgotten just how important it is? Oh, but I trust it now, and I've told Aerith to always trust hers. My gut tells me I can trust you."

Barnabas smiled sheepishly. "Well then, why'd you run off?"

Ifalna's brow furrowed as her green eyes stared at the floor. She clasped her hands together nervously.

"The idea of going to war with these people who put me through five years of hell is incredibly scary," she admitted, "I know it's probably the only way I'll ever be able to live my life without having to always be on my guard. But at the same time, it's terrifying! Even if it's years away like you said, it's still going to happen. Will we be prepared for when they try to bomb us, and cause the entire cave system to collapse and crush everyone? Then _they_ would be the ones causing the 'avalanche' you mentioned."

"Thankfully, we have time," Terrato said as he stepped into the grotto. "We also technically have no quarrel with the Shinra. Before we strike, we'll want allies. We're not the only ones in the world who are against the spread of Shinra's power. My friends in Wutai, Corel, Dragoonshire, and Mideel, all tell me that the respective people in charge are uneasy over Shinra's presence in Junon, Nibelheim, and Gongaga."

"They have every reason to feel that way," Ifalna stated firmly.

"However," Terrato continued, "it's what my friends in Midgar have to say that is of particular interest. Your young friend Sephiroth may very well be key in slowing down Shinra's progress."

Ifalna sat down on a bench against the wall and gazed at the fountain again. "I know he was supposed to be the prototype for a new kind of soldier. And after our escape, I've finally seen what it is he can do. He's incredibly powerful."

"That power would have been used to subdue all of the other major lands," said Terrato, "and now it's gone. If he's the prototype…well, we don't know how much progress was made with adapting his abilities to that of others."

"Not even close," said Ifalna, "Sephiroth told me, while we were on the boat from Heimar Port, that Hojo planned to have a squad of new soldiers by the end of the year. It's May now. I don't know how much Sephiroth's absence is interfering with that."

"I'm confident it is," said Terrato, "Sephiroth's absence may very well be the first key to winning the fight against the Shinra."

"Winning against Shinra…" Ifalna couldn't help but laugh. "That's such a wonderful combination of words. You really think we could do it?"

"Absolutely!" Barnabas said with a grin.

"We'd have two very powerful people on our side," said Terrato, "Sephiroth, and the only known living Ancient."

"You were eavesdropping?" Ifalna pointed accusingly at the older man. Still, she smiled as she shook her head reprovingly.

"Forgive me," Terrato chuckled, "My friends always say I'm a sucker for gossip. But I promise we'll keep your true heritage secret to the canyon, just as we have kept the firecat race to ourselves."

"So _that's_ the name of our four-legged friends," said Ifalna, looking slightly relieved, "I'd wondered if they had a name, but I didn't want to ask in case it sounded rude."

"Will you join our cause, Ifalna?" Barnabas asked hopefully, "I feel bad that we bombarded you with this so soon after you got here. But at the same time…I just want you to know that you and the kids are safe."

"What they did to you and the children is an abomination," Terrato added gravely. "Shinra's influence must be eliminated if the planet is to carry on. Bugenhagen's machine says that the planet is in pain."

Ifalna leaned against the wall and sighed. "Yes…" she said, "The planet _is_ in pain. Every day, I hear it cry out just a little more than the day before. I hear its cries, but I feel powerless to stop it."

"You don't have to be powerless," said Terrato, "The choice is up to you."

They were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps. A young woman around the same age as Ifalna arrived, panting heavily, trying to speak.

"M-master Terrato!" she panted.

"What's the matter?" the grappling instructor asked, noting the worried look on her face.

"It's Elfé!" she exclaimed, "She's collapsed again! That boy…" she glanced over at Ifalna, "…with the silver hair…I swear, he practically teleported her over to Dr. Triton's- like he appeared out of nowhere!."

"Let's go," Terrato said instantly.

"The boy insisted that I find you as well," the woman said to Ifalna.

The Cetra nodded, and promptly followed Terrato and the others back into the walkway.

* * *

"Mama!" Aerith said as Ifalna entered the lobby of the small hospital, "Something bad happened!"

"I know, Aerith," Ifalna said as she placed a reassuring hand on Aerith's shoulder, "I'm going to see if I can help."

Sephiroth, who had been sitting next to the little girl, stood up. "This is more than a bump on the head," he said, "But all the same…I told them if anyone could help, it'd be you."

Ifalna smiled as she reached out and patted Sephiroth's cheek. It had only taken four years for the boy to stop wincing whenever she did that.

Another boy who looked to be a few years older than Sephiroth walked into the lobby from down the hall. Running a hand through his dark messy hair, he adjusted his glasses and spoke:

"She's stable. Dr. Triton is with her now. However, she's worried about the increasing frequency of these attacks. She's beginning to think Elfé shouldn't be training anymore."

The tone of his voice clearly indicated that he disagreed.

"That's up to Elfé," said Terrato, "May we see her? I have a friend with me who might be able to help."

"Another doctor?" The boy with the glasses tilted his head, regarding Ifalna curiously.

For some reason, the boy looking at Ifalna made her skin crawl. There was something too familiar about him...

"Not exactly…" she forced herself to say, while maintaining a civil tone. "I suppose you could call me a healer."

"You're the woman that arrived here the other day with Dr. Triton," the young man realized. He smiled politely and held out his hand. "My name is Fuhito. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ifalna managed to mask her feelings of utter revulsion as she forced herself to shake his hand. She wasn't sure _why_ she was so unnerved, but she was, and she knew that she must never let him sense that. She had learned long ago to never make that same mistake. Hojo knew all too well that she was terrified of him, and seemed to get an almost perverse satisfaction from making her tremble in fear.

_Hojo._

Why was she suddenly thinking about him?

* * *

Sephiroth looked around the lobby restlessly. Aerith was busying herself with a large piece of paper and a box of crayons than one of the nurses had given her. The place was empty, save for the two of them, and a receptionist up front. Ifalna and the old man had been with Dr. Triton and Fuhito, looking after the girl for the past half-hour.

He and Nanaki had been chasing after Aerith in the tunnels, known to many residents as the "kids' cavern". It had been interesting, albeit slightly frustrating. He could outrun Aerith in a matter of seconds. However, the way the area was constructed, all she had to do was lose him for two seconds, and she could disappear into any number of pathways. He knew that all she needed to do was find and climb up one of the ladders, and she'd be back at the entrance in no time. However, the girl had no interest in doing so, and kept baiting him to come and catch her.

Nanaki had completely enjoyed himself the entire time, and occasionally teased Sephiroth over his visible(albeit cool) frustration.

When she finally called to them from the upper level, saying she was ready to go to the entrance, he had prepared to endure her teasing him for the rest of the day. When he saw her at the entrance, however, she looked at him, her expression frightened as she pointed ahead.

A girl who looked to be about his age, was on her knees, panting hard and clutching her forehead. He immediately rushed over and asked if she was all right. The girl seemed as if she were about to respond, only to violently retch on the ground. Sephiroth managed to catch her before she could collapse and land in her own vomit.

Nanaki instantly recognized the girl. She was called Elfé, and lived with the head of the Academy of Non-Striking Martial Arts(ANSMA). He had instructed Sephiroth to bring her to Dr. Triton immediately. Sephiroth had then asked Nanaki to escort Aerith back from the Kids' Cavern, and shot into the air, much to Nanaki's amazement. It had taken less than a minute to bring Elfé straight to Dr. Triton herself, who immediately brought her to Cosmo Canyon's medical lodge.

"Did you hear all those voices?" Aerith asked suddenly, bringing Sephiroth back to the present.

He tilted his head to look at her. "Voices?" he asked.

"Yup! When that girl was throwing up, there were voices. They…" she looked puzzled, "…were coming from her _hand_. Isn't that funny?"

Sephiroth scowled. "Indeed. Are these like the voices you normally hear?"

Aerith furrowed her brow. "Yes…and no. That's why I asked if you heard them too."

"So what did the voices say?"

Aerith sighed. "You know I can't understand what those kinds of voices say. I ask them to slow down. So does Mama. They never listen."

"She can probably hear the voices too, then? The ones coming from the girl's hand?"

"Mama? Of course she does."

"Hmm…" Sephiroth mumbled thoughtfully. He then looked at her drawing. "What's that?"

"That's us, silly! You, me, and Mama at our new home."

"Why are you taller than me?"

Aerith glared at Sephiroth. "That was an accident. Nobody's perfect, _Sephiroth!_"

Sephiroth had to keep himself from laughing. That child was absolutely hilarious whenever she got angry, but laughing at her when she was in that state was only asking for trouble. He bit his lip and watched as she continued to draw.

"Why is Hojo in the picture?" he then asked, frowning at the man whose back was now bent at an absurd angle, courtesy of Aerith's crayons.

Aerith giggled. "He's mad because he can't find us. And he _never will!_" she said pointedly to the drawing. She then blew a raspberry.

Sephiroth settled deeper into his chair and closed his eyes. He certainly hoped Hojo never would track them down. He didn't want to kill anyone, but he was certain that patricide would be the one exception to his new rule.

"When am I getting my present?" Aerith asked.

Sephiroth opened his eyes again. "Huh?"

"You said that if we won the game, you'd buy me something special. Well…living here means we won…doesn't it?"

Sephiroth nodded. He had forgotten about that promise. Leave it to Aerith to remember. Oh well. At least he had two-hundred gil that Ifalna had given him. That had surprised him, as he had trusted her enough to hold onto all of the money they had received from their stolen bounty. Funny…it was almost as if she were his mother, giving him his allowance.

In a secret part of his mind, Sephiroth occasionally allowed himself to entertain the idea of Ifalna being his mother. Truth be told, he wasn't even sure what mothers were really supposed to be like, aside from what he saw on TV. It wasn't until he saw over the years how Ifalna behaved around Aerith, that he understood. She treated her daughter as if she were the most precious thing on the planet. When he said that out loud to her one day, she simply blinked and stared at him as if he had called water wet, or the sun bright.

Finally, Ifalna stepped into the lobby, followed by Terrato.

"How is she?" Sephiroth asked.

Terrato shook his head in wonder. "Amazing…" he said, "We've known for so long that there was something wrong with Elfé. But all the tests we ran on her to see what was wrong…they all came up inconclusive. There were a couple of times where she would be out for days. But in the end, she always woke up."

"Is she awake now?" Sephiroth asked.

Ifalna shook her head.

"What's the matter with her?" Aerith asked, "Is it because of the voices?"

"Yes, it is," Ifalna answered, "The voices were coming from a fragment of a rare summoning materia. That's what's causing all of her issues."

"Are you Elfé's daddy?" Aerith asked Terrato.

"Sort of," Terrato told her. "You see, Elfé has lived in Cosmo Canyon with me for the past three years. Fuhito found her wandering the wilderness south of Nibelheim one day, while he was on a spiritual retreat with me and several other people. She was half-starved, incoherent, and had lost her memory."

Ifalna's eyes widened. That was the first time anybody had mentioned that to her.

"There was something about that girl," Terrato went on, "and I just took to her. I took her into my home and raised her, and I started training her. She then expanded her fighting skills from grappling, to swordsmanship. Barnabas taught her everything he knows. He's the weapons expert around here. She and Fuhito frequently talk about strategy and fight tactics. He even bought her several books on the subject."

"She took to combat like a fish takes to water. It's absolutely amazing the way she can fight. When she's not ill…she's incredibly strong…and so fast."

"I should like to spar with her sometime," Sephiroth spoke up, clearly intrigued. "And if that Fuhito fellow enjoys reading up on strategy, I'd like to pick his brain sometime.

Ifalna shook her head. "I told Dr. Triton: absolutely no strenuous activity before surgery." She would talk to Sephiroth regarding her concerns about Fuhito later, but for now, kept her opinions of him to herself.

"They're gonna cut her open?" Aerith asked worriedly.

"That materia doesn't belong inside of her," said Ifalna, "I don't know how it got there, but somebody clearly had very bad intentions for that poor girl. It gives her strength, yet saps her energy. It may not get much worse today or tomorrow, but if that materia remains inside of her, then eventually she'll die."

"Nibelheim, you said?" Sephiroth asked.

Terrato nodded.

"That might explain a few things…" the boy said, "There is a laboratory, located at the bottom of a large mansion that serves as a place for the employees to live."

"You think she might have been just one more test subject?" Ifalna asked.

Sephiroth nodded. "I think so. When I was eight, I was given a tour of the reactor and the basement."

He did not mention the horrible nightmares that kept him up the entire night while he stayed in Nibelheim. He had been glad to leave that place the following morning.

"I'll be treating her," said Ifalna, "I'll help her body prepare for the surgery. Removing the materia will be dangerous, but if I can…lend her the support of the Lifestream…then I think she'll be okay. Dr. Triton's still running tests on her to figure out when she should operate."

"Tests?" Aerith looked frightened. "No, Mama! You said no more tests!"

Ifalna sat down next to Aerith. She pulled her into her lap and held her close. "We still need to see a doctor when we're sick, little one. And every once in a while, we need to see them to make sure we don't get sick. But when I said no more tests, I mean that we don't have to have them every day…or even every week. But in a couple of days, we're all going to get checked out by Dr. Triton, just to make sure we're okay. But she won't hurt us. And remember the ice cream."

"Oh yeah!" Aerith recalled as a smile lit up her face.

"You didn't mention anything to me about a check-up," Sephiroth said disapprovingly.

"That's because I made arrangements just before we came out," Ifalna explained to him. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."

"And remember the ice cream!" Aerith repeated her mother's words.

Ifalna and Terrato both laughed. Sephiroth found himself fighting a smile himself.

"Why don't you go on back to the inn along with Aerith?" Ifalna suggested, "I've got something I need to discuss with Master Terrato here before I catch up."

Sephiroth nodded, and then stood up. He held his hand out to Aerith, and she immediately grabbed it. He led her out of the lobby.

"I suppose you've made a decision, if you wish to speak to me alone?" Terrato asked.

Ifalna closed her eyes and sighed. Escaping from Shinra had been terrifying. She had been shot at, nearly run off the road, and when she had thought she was safe, she had been struck by her own savior, nearly knocking her out. Now she worried about his sanity, and the safety of herself and Aerith. On top of that, she was seeing another young person that had possibly been victimized by the Shinra.

However, she was here in the melting pot known as Cosmo Canyon, where a handful of people had already sworn up and down that she was safe. And now they were telling her that in addition to security, _justice_ might also be possible? Would people like President Shinra, Professor Hojo, and other people eventually be held responsible for their actions?

And finally…they wanted to help the planet. During the nearly seven years since she had woken up alone in the abandoned city, only remembering her name, she had _never_ heard anybody talking like that, save for her late husband.

Was there really a choice?

She smiled and nodded. "I'll help you, Master Terrato. I'll admit, I'm scared, but in the end, it's the only way I can think of to ensure that Aerith, Sephiroth and I can one day live in a world where we don't have to always be looking over our shoulders."

Terrato smiled and placed his hand on Ifalna's shoulder.

"I'll cast my lot with you," Ifalna said laughing, "and join your 'avalanche', as Barnabas put it..."


	9. Chapter 8: Nightmares

A/N: I've decided that this will be an "M"-rated story, partly due to the depictions of Shinra's atrocities.

Shout-outs:

Badnephilim: I have in my mind this saga being split into two large stories. At this point, I don't see Vincent entering the scene until the beginning of the second story. This story is more about battling Jenova and finding out who Ifalna really is.

Catxangel: Ifalna and Aerith are just two members of the Cetra. Jenova was able to royally screw with the entire race. Sephiroth's still going to have his work cut out for him.

JazzQueen: They still don't know where the line is between acceptable and abuse. It's rather sad. Good thing Ifalna can already sense something's up with Fuhito. However, if Elfé is cured, there will be no Zirconiade… ;)

Greatazuredragon: Ifalna said in the original game that Aerith would need to grow up tough. She wouldn't say that without being a tough one herself. And since she's a full-blooded Cetra to Aerith's half, she may prove to be an incredible asset.

What I really hate seeing in fanfiction is too many times, Ifalna's ghost is WAY too…messiah-like. Not trying to offend with that statement, but I've honestly read fics where she addresses Aerith using the word "thou". No, just...no. Play the game. She talked like a normal person. Not enough fics portray her as just an ordinary woman who loved her kid and got all bashful when addressing her new husband as "honey". An ordinary person who loses part of their family, and their freedom, is going to have some issues.

Anyway, enough ranting. Here's the next chapter.

* * *

Chapter 8: Nightmares

"Seph, I don't think we should be doing this," Aerith said as she clutched her new stuffed moogle to her chest and looked around. "I don't think Mama wants us to go too far from town."

"I just want to watch," Sephiroth told her, "Barnabas is right up ahead. We know him. We've eaten dinner with him and Dr. Triton twice since we've been living here. Your mom is always talking to him."

The two children had followed Barnabas from a distance; about a quarter of a mile from the main part of town. They were now crouching quietly behind a large boulder, while Barnabas worked out on a rocky platform.

"What's he doing?" Aerith wondered aloud.

"Kata," Sephiroth answered simply. He leaned forward and watched with rapt attention, as the older man performed a series of strikes and blocks with a straight-bladed ninjato sword.

"Huh?" Aerith looked confused.

"He's practicing kata," Sephiroth explained quietly to her, "What he's doing is, he's pretending that one or more people are attacking him. He's blocking their attacks, and then attacking back. Ka-ta."

"He's still standing…" Aerith observed, "I guess that means he's winning."

Barnabas executed a back kick while at the same time, slashing elegantly to the side of him.

"I've seen plenty of Shinra army trainees falling on their rears doing forms like that," Sephiroth whispered, "He hasn't stumbled once. He's good."

"Why do we have to be quiet?" Aerith asked softly.

"I don't want to disturb him," Sephiroth told her, "I want to watch. We can always talk to him after-"

His words were interrupted by a large flying beetle that flew by. It then doubled back and began buzzing around the two children, causing Aerith to screech loudly and cover her face.

Barnabas spun around. "Who's there?" he asked loudly.

Much to Sephiroth's chagrin, Aerith quickly popped up from behind the rock, her hands raised in a gesture of surrender.

"Oh!" Barnabas laughed, "It's just you! Say, what are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"She's not," Sephiroth admitted as he stood up, showing himself.

Barnabas tilted his head and regarded the two children with a smirk. "You guys trying to sneak up on me? Maybe play some kind of prank on the unsuspecting grown-up?"

"No, Seph just wanted to watch you fight all those pretend bad guys," Aerith said.

Sephiroth cringed, feeling self-conscious now. This was exactly why he didn't want to be seen while watching Barnabas train.

"Ah, I did hear you mention during dinner the other day that you're a swordsman," Barnabas recalled, "What kind of sword did you used to use?"

Sephiroth raised his left hand and summoned Masamune, startling Barnabas. He then smirked. "This one," he answered.

"How did you…?" Barnabas was at a loss for words.

"It's special," Sephiroth explained, "It's synthesized using the same properties used in the making of summoning and exit materia. I can summon it at will, because it's actually linked to my consciousness. It has to be that way, considering how impractical a sheath is for something of this length. Since it only responds to me, I'm the only one who can really use it, despite anyone being able to pick it up."

"Wow…" Barnabas whispered in awe as he stared at the extra long odachi.

"It's the longest sword in the whole world!" Aerith said as she spread her arms wide for emphasis.

"Care to spar?" Sephiroth asked, "It's been weeks, and I'm getting rather restless."

"Okay," said Barnabas, snapping out of his reverie at the challenge. He grinned confidently. "But don't think you've got the advantage just because you have a long-ranged weapon. Part of being a good warrior is closing the gap."

Sephiroth smirked again. "Bring it on."

"Aerith, darlin', why don't you go sit by that giant rock again," Barnabas suggested, "If this boy's as good as Master Terrato's contacts say he is, this could get a bit dangerous."

"Do what he says," Sephiroth said in agreement.

Aerith obeyed and went back, sitting on a smaller rock nearby.

"Say the word, Aerith," Sephiroth said, recalling when he would let Aerith "referee" his sparring matches with Wolff. Suddenly, he felt a knot growing. He immediately pushed the memory out of his head. Wolff could haunt his nightmares as much as he wanted(and he was), but now, he was about to face off, and with a brand-new opponent.

For a moment, it felt like old times for Sephiroth. What he couldn't understand was why that somehow comforted him. Almost as if he were…homesick? Sephiroth immediately brandished his sword, as if trying to shred such a ludicrous thought to pieces.

Aerith raised her hand and then brought it down quickly. "Hajime!" she shouted.

* * *

Ifalna sat nervously in the lobby of Dr. Triton's office, waiting for the doctor to come out.

She and the children had all been checked out by the good doctor a few days ago. While Aerith and Sephiroth were given clean bills of health, something in Ifalna's blood test results had troubled the doctor. She had phoned the inn yesterday and asked Ifalna to come in the office as soon as she could the next day.

_"It's probably nothing…just a glitch in the equipment. I just want a new blood and urine sample, and I need to check your vitals once more. Then there's something else I wanted to ask you about…nothing bad- I assure you!"_

"Ifalna?"

She looked up and saw a young man wearing a white lab coat, polishing a stethoscope.

"I'm Dr. Palidor," he said, "Dr. Triton sends her apologies. There was an emergency with a family that lives about a mile from town and she had to go right away."

"Oh, don't worry," Ifalna said with a smile, "I've no problem with re-scheduling." She stood up, about to leave.

"Actually, she asked me to cover for her while she was gone, so I can take a look at you instead," he said.

Ifalna froze, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

Dr. Palidor noticed her expression. "I mean, if you want to re-schedule, that's fine too. She can see you tomorrow if you'd prefer."

_Don't be stupid, Ifalna…_she told herself. _Your health is more important than…old phobias. If there's something wrong, you need to know as soon as possible!_

"No, let's figure out what this issue is right now," Ifalna said, forcing a cheerful tone to her voice.

"You sure?"

She nodded. "Absolutely!"

The doctor led her into one of the rooms down the hall. To her relief, there was no exam gown waiting for her to change into.

"We'll start with a simple urine test," the young man said as he held out an empty jar for her, "Then I need just one small blood sample. Then I check your vitals to compare to last time, and you can be on your way."

Ifalna nodded and took the jar, entering the tiny bathroom nearby and closing the door behind her.

* * *

"Seph, let him up!" Aerith protested worriedly, "You won already!"

It had been a five-minute match. Barnabas had held his own for a good three minutes before fatigue began to overtake him. Had anyone else been his opponent, that would never have happened. The only person who could actually outmatch him on strength and stamina was Elfé, but even she was beatable due to her lack of technique. She had only been training with a sword for the past eighteen months. Sephiroth matched her in strength, but had trained for five years, and was left-handed(always an advantage, as it allowed such swordsmen to see things from a different perspective, literally).

Shinra really _had_ lost a powerful weapon when he had escaped.

Now Barnabas lay flat on his back, his sword having flown out of his hand. He took a deep breath as Sephiroth released his foot from his chest and extended his hand to him. Barnabas gave him his hand and allowed himself to be helped up to his feet.

"You're scary when you fight," Aerith said, her voice slightly disapproving.

"On the contrary," a voice said before Sephiroth could respond, "He's quite amazing. I'm extremely impressed."

Everyone looked to see Fuhito standing only a few feet away from the rock upon which Aerith perched.

"You might just become the new child prodigy of Cosmo Canyon, now that Elfé will probably lose her powers," the bespectacled young man continued, before he turned around and left, just as quickly as he had come.

Sephiroth stiffened. Ifalna had taken him aside the other night and voiced her concerns over Fuhito. He had long ago learned to trust her ability to read others, and knew that if Fuhito gave her a bad vibe, then he should be cautious. On the other hand, however, Dr. Triton had hired him as her assistant, which he had been for the past six months. He found himself trusting the good-natured doctor as well.

So which one of them was right?

* * *

"I guess I can see why Dr. Triton was so concerned," Dr. Palidor remarked as he put away the full jar that Ifalna had handed him, "You look rather pale."

Ifalna barely heard what the man was saying, as she kept telling herself silently to stay calm. However, she couldn't stop the words from years past as they continued to reverberate in her head:

_"You're in no place to patronize me, you fucking freak of nature...!"_

"Now I just need to check your glands," the young doctor said as he put on a pair of rubber gloves. Ifalna stiffened as he prodded underneath her chin with his fingers. "Whoa- your pulse is racing!" he exclaimed as he placed two fingers on her neck, "How much coffee do you usually have in the morning?"

_It'snotlikebeforeit'snotlikebefore…_the words rushed through her mind like a mantra as she shut her eyes tightly.

However, when she felt his fingers closing around her wrist, she began to scream. A loud crackle could be heard as she shot to her feet, and the doctor suddenly cried out in pain.

_"Time to show you who's in charge...!"_

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Ifalna shrieked as she blindly ran out of the office.

* * *

The doctor opened his eyes only minutes later. He stared up at the ceiling, not ready to move yet. His entire body was now shaking, and he could swear that he smelled something burning…his hair?

He finally got to his feet when the twitching stopped. He walked over to the mirror above the sink and looked to make sure he wasn't bruised anywhere. His jaw dropped as he saw his hair looking singed, and his face charred. He had only tried to take her pulse, and in a matter of seconds, he now looked and felt almost as if he'd been…struck by lightning. It couldn't have been materia though, or else he wouldn't still be standing.

He had already begun to hear rumors about Ifalna from the townspeople, and wondered what the hell was going on.

* * *

Ifalna sat on a bench outside of the Shildra Inn that night, contemplating the stars on the horizon. Ever since escaping from the Shinra, she always took time to sit outside and appreciate the stars…as if any night might be her last chance to enjoy them.

The children were upstairs. Aerith had already gone to sleep, while Sephiroth stayed up reading a book. Ifalna hoped Sephiroth's night would be peaceful. The boy seemed to wake in a panic every night now. The other night, he had apparently woken Aerith up with his nightmares, despite Ifalna sleeping through the whole thing. When she awoke, she saw Aerith curled up in Sephiroth's bed next to the boy, probably having offered to keep his dreams safe. One's heart could not help but be warmed by the logic of five-year-olds.

By the time the two had come back to the inn to meet her for dinner, she had long since stopped crying and dry-heaving, and was able to put on the strong mother act. Neither of the children had suspected anything was wrong. Hers was an act that she had perfected years ago, for Aerith's sake mostly, but also for Sephiroth's. The last thing she wanted was to become another bitter or half-crazed adult in the boy's life.

"Ifalna?"

Dr. Triton had emerged from the walkway, and approached the young mother, looking at her with a concerned expression.

"Hello, Doctor," Ifalna said uneasily, knowing what would be coming next.

"I just came to see if you were all right," said Dr. Triton, "I got back just a half-hour ago. Dr. Palidor told me you had a panic attack and ran out of the office when he tried to do your checkup. He also seemed to be in a bad way, but couldn't really explain what had happened. He said that when he saw himself in the mirror, he looked like one of those cartoon characters that was hit by a bolt of lightning."

Ifalna closed her eyes and refused to look at the doctor.

"I…didn't know you were going to be out of town…" she mumbled, "I tried to reason with myself first…I didn't mean to hurt him…the lightning is something that happens when I'm scared or startled. There's no materia involved."

"There was an emergency house-call…" Dr. Triton tried to explain, but trailed off and gazed at the young woman, realizing that she was still shaken up from whatever had happened.

"Care to go inside and talk about it?" she asked softly.

"Let's stay out here," Ifalna suggested as she glanced upwards nervously. "I don't want Aerith or Sephiroth to overhear this…_ever._"

That was all it took for the doctor to have an idea of what this was about.

"Was it that Hojo man?" she asked sharply.

Ifalna laughed in spite of herself. "God, no…I have my doubts he even sired Sephiroth in the normal way. He sees me as an animal…not one of those whores I've seen on his arm when he's being interviewed on TV."

"I know it was someone, Ifalna. I'm not an accredited psychologist, but I've taken enough electives to at least have a hunch when I hear about an extreme reaction like that…"

"Your hunch is 100% correct," the younger woman sighed, "It was about three years ago...there was an intern. The kind of kid you see on TV, who lives in his mother's basement, has absolutely no success with women, probably got his head flushed in the toilet at school, and had few-to-no friends. It was the perfect storm…I could _feel_ him brimming with frustration…so I tried to talk to him to calm him down, and he threw a fit, accusing me of patronizing him. Then, he said he'd be conducting a 'different' exam on me…I tried to run away, but there wasn't anywhere I could really run to..."

She trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself, the entire scene replaying itself in her mind:

He had torn her medical gown, but she had managed to squirm out of his grasp. He then proceeded to chase her around the exam room. She was able to wedge herself under an examination chair in the corner of the room where he couldn't reach her…at first. Eventually, he was able to grab her ankle and pull the screaming woman out.

"…In the end…" she finally managed to say, "All I remember was the ground shaking, the smell of burning hair, me biting down on him as hard as I could, and him screaming bloody murder. Two guards burst inside and shot him. The earthquake suddenly stopped.

"From then on…the only people allowed to examine me were women, or Hojo himself. Guards were carefully screened as well, and for extra measure, I was put on birth control, in case the absolute worst still managed to happen. I guess it wasn't in Shinra's best interests for me to get pregnant while they had so many tests to conduct on me."

"Thank goodness for small favors…" Dr. Triton sighed as she pulled a tissue from her pocket and handed it to the young mother.

"I was always so scared after that…" Ifalna's voice was barely a whisper as she took the tissue and wiped not only her eyes, but her forehead, which was now slick with sweat. "But I had to be brave for the kids."

"Sephiroth never knew, I take it?"

Ifalna shook her head vehemently. "Of course not. He was ten at the time. He wouldn't even understand…" she trailed off and closed her eyes. "Thank Gaia he wasn't involved…in any incidents like that. Pushed too hard to train, yes. Not allowed to cry…yes. Told more half-truths than one can count…god, yes. But I would have been able to tell if he…no. That breaks a person, and Shinra can't have a broken super-soldier."

"There's always something to be thankful over…" Dr. Triton said softly, blinking back tears of her own.

"All the same," Ifalna said guiltily, "Tomorrow, I'd like to apologize to your colleague if he hasn't left for the moon on my account. There's no way he'd be anything like that intern…not if you're the one who chose him to fill in."

Dr. Triton smiled and nodded. "You're a saint, child. You'd be good for…" she stopped herself.

"Good for what?"

"Cosmo Canyon," the doctor covered with a big yawn, "You're going to fit in here just fine, especially once you start working for me."

"Huh?" Ifalna did a double-take.

"I've been trying to figure out the budget so I can make this work," said Dr. Triton, "And I meant to talk with you about this tomorrow, but I figure you could use some good news right now. Basically, you and I both have the ability to heal. Barnabas told me what you did for his leg cramp, and then there's Elfé. She'll be ready for surgery in a few days, but that's mostly thanks to you. Between identifying the problem, and being able to come in every day and keep her body stable with whatever it is you do…you have an ability that no ordinary doctor could ever hope to have.

"I've got nurses, and I've got a personal assistant. I don't know what I could call your position. The closest word I can think of is shaman. But I'll gladly pay you a good living if you agreed to come and work for me. Could you start three days from now?"

Ifalna lowered her head as her eyes began filling with tears once more.

"Thank you, Doctor…" she said softly, "…for everything you've done. Sephiroth might have been the one to get us out of the labs…" She looked up at the doctor. "...but you're the one who gave us all a home."

"Girl, if you make me cry, so help me…!" Dr. Triton laughed shakily.

Ifalna smiled and shrugged, wiping her eyes again. "What can I say? I'm a sentimental fool. You'll get used to me tugging on your heartstrings eventually."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow? We can discuss the details then, and I'll personally check you out, if that makes you feel better."

Ifalna nodded gladly. "Absolutely."

Dr. Triton turned and left, pulling her shawl closer to her as she braved Cosmo Canyon's chilly night air while she hurried back to her house.

* * *

"You really like your stuffed moogle, don't you?" Sephiroth asked amusedly the next day. The small stuffed toy he had bought earlier that week was the present he had promised her. Aerith was content to hold the stuffed moogle tightly everywhere she went.

Sephiroth noticed that Aerith truly seemed to treasure any presents she received. She still wore her father's sunglasses every time she went outside, along with the Grand Horn pendant that Sephiroth had brought her from Gongaga. Now, she rarely put down the moogle, even when it had been bath-time.

"His name is Kupo-Chan!" Aerith said happily as she made the toy "jump" up and down on her knee. "He wants to know when dinner time is, because he's hungry."

Sephiroth glanced at his watch. "Dinner will be soon. Why don't we head back to the inn right now and see what's waiting for us?"

"We're not eating at the inn today, remember?" Aerith reminded him, "Mama's starting her new job tomorrow, and we're going to that fancy restaurant to celebrate."

Of course. Sephiroth nodded.

"You're forgetting a lot of things since we started living here," Aerith remarked.

"I know," the boy sighed.

They made their way through the elaborate walkway in silence, holding hands. Sephiroth normally did not like touching people, or being touched. The only exceptions were during his hand-to-hand combat classes, which he had been taking with his fellow army recruits before the big escape. The other exception was sometimes Ifalna, but mostly Aerith. He didn't mind at all when the little girl always wanted to hold his hand, fling her arms around his waist in a hug, or would sometimes fall asleep with her head in his lap.

Sometimes, it seemed to him as if Aerith was the exception to every single rule.

"Hello, Sephiroth," Fuhito greeted them as they emerged near the Shildra Inn.

"Hey," Sephiroth said.

"Are you free right now?" Fuhito asked, "I wanted to ask you about something."

Sephiroth looked warily at the older boy. He then glanced down at Aerith.

"Tell her I'll be along in a minute."

"'Kay!" Aerith ran inside.

"I'm assuming you're joining us in the fight against Shinra?" Fuhito asked.

"Absolutely," Sephiroth said straight away, "I'd be honored to help out any way I can."

"I'm glad to hear that," Fuhito told him, "It'll be interesting to have someone closer to my age involved with the resistance. Elfé is our only other young person aside from myself. She's not a full member, obviously, but Master Terrato and Master Barnabas have been training her to fight from the beginning. I just wonder how capable she'll be after the surgery."

"If she's been training rigorously enough, she'll be a good fighter with or without the materia," Sephiroth replied, "Not everybody is going to be like me, and that's a good thing. Somebody like me should have never existed."

"Sometimes I think humanity itself should have never existed," Fuhito said frankly, "When we lost our link to the planet...well, let's just say that the wrong race of people died off."

"That's a rather bleak view," Sephiroth remarked pointedly, "although, there have been times where I felt the same way."

"I suppose things are what they are," Fuhito stated, "The important thing, though, is that the planet can't be allowed to suffer any more than it already is. We don't need to be Ancients to know that mako energy is hurting the planet. The south seas have grown uncontrollable. The earth is rotting in a great many places. Up north where farming once thrived, the people are now pinning their hopes on placed like Nibelheim and Dragoonshire becoming industrialized while relying on hydroponic crops imported from Midgar. Something has to give."

Sephiroth nodded. "I agree."

Fuhito looked away, smiling. "Imagine the poetic justice: Shinra's own talent used against them. To work for that company is a waste of genius."

"That's how I felt about Professor Gast," Sephiroth admitted.

"He was a legend," Fuhito agreed, "However, there's still talent over at the Shinra who would be a huge asset could they be convinced to fight for our cause."

"Like who?" Sephiroth asked, wondering if he meant certain members of the army, or the Turks.

"Why, Professor Hojo, of course," Fuhito replied smoothly.

Sephiroth stared icily at the older boy for a moment. "Are you trying to be some kind of joker...?" he asked slowly, his voice even, but clearly enraged.

Fuhito blinked, only betraying mild surprise at Sephiroth's reaction. "Not at all. Just trying to be logical here. Most men can be persuaded with the right incentive. The ones who fight on our side all were. Professor Hojo could be swayed over to our side as well, I think."

"_Over my dead body!_" Sephiroth hissed emphatically. He moved closer to Fuhito until their faces were about an inch apart. "Let's get something clear right now: I personally don't care to hear about that man unless I'm reading his obituary. I would sooner see that man die a thousand violent deaths. If you're fighting against the Shinra, you'd better get your facts straight on who the good guys and bad guys are. I will _never_ fight alongside that walking mass of complexes. Are we clear?"

Any adult would have been unnerved by Sephiroth's icy fury, made even more menacing by his youth. Fuhito never so much as flinched, however. He regarded the younger boy calmly, and simply adjusted his glasses.

"My apologies," Fuhito said coolly.

Sephiroth glared at the young man, now understanding Ifalna's discomfort around him. "I'll thank you not to bother me _or_ my family with your foolishness ever again," he said flatly. The young swordsman then turned around and walked back to the inn.

* * *

Dr. Triton often kept late hours, especially when she could look forward to a day off from work. Though she never could truly consider herself "off-duty" in her profession, she at least knew she wouldn't have to appear at the office. Tomorrow, her only obligation was meeting Ifalna to further discuss her checkup(it _had_ been an anomaly in the equipment, and Ifalna was in perfect health). After that, her day was her own.

It was just past midnight. She had just put a kettle on the stove to make some tea, which she would drink while curling up with a good book. Then she would probably turn in around one.

She jumped, startled when she heard a frantic pounding at the door. Then, she composed herself. Accustomed to emergencies, she took a deep breath, and went to answer, prepared to meet any medical crisis with a level head.

She opened the door, and was surprised to see Sephiroth standing in front of her, trembling violently, his reptilian eyes nearly bugging out in what could only be described as panic.

"I saw your light on…" he panted.

"Sephiroth, what is it?" Dr. Triton exclaimed.

"I'll do it!" Sephiroth said, his voice terrified and his words quick, "I'll go to the temple! Just find me someone who can get me there safely! I want to heal! I want to learn to protect myself, and Aerith, and everyone…but I can't if I wind up going insane!"

"All right," Dr. Triton said, making her voice sound as calm and neutral as she could manage, "That's fine. I'll tell you what. I'm going to give you a tranquilizer to help you calm down so you can go home, and back to sleep soon. Then tomorrow, I'll make the preparations. If all goes well, you can leave as early as the day after tomorrow. But please, try to relax. Can you tell me what happened that's got you so upset? Why aren't you asleep in bed?"

She went to the cupboard and instead of reaching for her usual tea ingredients, pulled down a box containing tea bags of tranquilizers. She hoped a drink would be potent enough for Sephiroth. Something told her that the last thing the boy needed was another needle.

"Every day since I agreed to go to Cosmo Canyon with you, I've been having these nightmares," Sephiroth confessed, no longer caring about trivial things like personal secrecy or his pride, "I'm standing in a field of flames, but I'm not burning. I don't burn. The people at the labs did things to me to make sure I healed quickly from gunshots, stabs, slices, burns…they made me nearly indestructible…but now…these dreams I'm having…I feel like _they're_ what's going to destroy me.

"I'm always holding this large black ball…like a materia, but it's bigger…almost the same size as…"

He recalled Ifalna's "useless" white materia, which was larger than standard-issue materia.

"Here…" the doctor held a cup to the boy, "Take this and drink it. You'll feel calmer. Your problems won't disappear, but you'll at least be able to sleep tonight. I'll give you another one tomorrow, and we'll let the monks take it from there once you arrive."

Sephiroth took the cup and desperately chugged the foul-tasting liquid until it was gone. "I can't seem to control my temper," he went on, "I'm always afraid I'm going to hurt someone."

He knew he already had. He could still see Ifalna's swollen face in his mind.

"They'll do what they can to help you," Dr. Triton reassured him.

"What are they going to be able to do for me?" Sephiroth asked as he handed her the empty cup.

"I'm assuming you never learned the art of meditation when you lived in Midgar?" the doctor asked.

"The Shinra pride themselves on science," Sephiroth answered mockingly, "Such voodoo is an insult to mankind's intelligence. That's what Hojo always said about things like meditation, chi, and magic."

"And yet, we use materia to cast spells and conjure up the elements," Dr. Triton said amusedly.

"According to the science department, magic is simply science that is yet to be explained," said the boy, "It's practically their motto."

"I agree that everything has an explanation," the woman said, "But when you already make up your mind ahead of time about what that explanation is…or isn't, then the answer is a lost cause. I meditate every night before bed and every morning before breakfast. I'd show you myself, but the Abbot is the one with the ability to almost reach inside your mind, and guide you."

"I don't think this person would want to see what's inside my mind," Sephiroth admitted hopelessly.

_Oh, you poor child…_Dr. Triton thought wearily. "I think that's his decision in the end. Let's take a walk back to the inn. A little exercise will get that medicine flowing, and you'll feel better. We'll discuss this together with Ifalna and Aerith tomorrow."

"Aerith will be sad," Sephiroth realized, "I know she'll cry when I tell her I'm leaving."

Dr. Triton smiled sadly. "You love that little girl so much, don't you?"

Reluctantly, Sephiroth nodded.

"I think she'll understand that you're doing this for her and her mother…as well as you."

Sephiroth stood up, ready to leave. "Thank you, Dr. Triton. For a doctor…you're all right."

The woman's eyes twinkled as the two of them headed for her door. "For someone who tried to carjack me in the middle of the wastelands, you're not so bad either…"

* * *

A/N: I feel as if this first part is dragging out a lot longer than I intended. However, the next chapter is going to be the last before the time-jump. Then we'll be in the Before Crisis/Crisis Core time period. The second story will take place in the original game time period.

Thoughts? You know where the review button is. ;)


	10. Chapter 9: A Time & Place To Heal

A/N: This is going to be a very long chapter. To be honest, however, I'm not sure if I should simply end the story here and then start a new one picking up twelve years later, or if I should just continue in the next chapter and have it be one thing. Let me know, whether in a review or PM. Thanks to my many readers. It's been a really fun month. :)

* * *

Chapter 9: A Time &amp; Place To Heal

Ifalna closed her eyes and rested her head against her hand, as she leaned against the coffee table she sat in front of.

"You do what you feel is best for you," she said, forcing herself to keep an even tone, and not letting her voice betray the sadness she felt.

She sat on the sofa in their room at the Shildra Inn. Aerith sat next to her, while Sephiroth had stood in front of them and explained everything. Dr. Triton stood off to the side, having filled in the rest of the story by explaining what exactly would happen when the time came for Sephiroth to leave.

"I want to go with you!" Aerith said stubbornly.

"No," said Sephiroth, "You're better off here with your mother. She needs you. And besides, you'll get to make friends with all of the other children who live here. I'll still be able to stay hidden from the Shinra, and learn how to fight like the monks. I'll come out even stronger than I am now, inside and outside. I promise I'll write to you every week."

"You're already strong!" Aerith protested, "Who's going to protect me if some mean person tries to hit me?"

"This isn't the Shinra," Sephiroth argued, "No one's going to hit you here. If you want to protect yourself, well, I keep telling you: ask your mother to sign you up for the kids' grappling class that Barnabas teaches."

"He's right, sweetheart," said Ifalna as she rubbed her daughter's shoulder reassuringly, "People don't hit children like that out here. And I can certainly pay for you to take self-defense classes with the other kids-,"

"I don't _wanna_ wrestle!" Aerith shrieked. She then began to cry.

Sephiroth cringed. He knew Aerith far too well.

"Please don't cry, Aerith," he said, kneeling down next to the little girl, "I don't like to see you sad."

"Then don't _make_ me sad!" Aerith sobbed, "Stay here!"

"I can't," Sephiroth told her, "I'm sorry."

"MEANIE!" Aerith shouted as she stood up and ran over to her bed. She then dove under it, and continued to sob loudly from there.

Ifalna took a deep breath, and looked helplessly at Sephiroth.

"We still have some things to discuss regarding your first day on the job tomorrow," Dr. Triton reminded Ifalna.

Ifalna balked. "_Now?_ Can't this wait?"

"I think the children need some time alone," Dr. Triton said, "Trust me…"

"I…" Ifalna glanced at the two small feet sticking out from under the bed. "Okay. Aerith, I'll be back in a little while…I know you're mad at Sephiroth, but you mind him while I'm gone, okay?"

There was no response. Ifalna rolled her eyes.

"_Okay?_" she said pointedly.

"…Yes…" Aerith sulked.

"We'll be downstairs in the lobby," Ifalna said as she and the doctor headed out the door.

"Aerith…" Sephiroth said as he walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Go away!"

"No, I won't go away," Sephiroth said, his frustration level rising.

"We were supposed to be a family!" Aerith shouted angrily, "You're supposed to be my big brother!"

"Don't you think I'd love that?" Sephiroth argued, "Because that would mean the world to me! But I can't just ignore the fact that I'm not doing well. I have to leave…or else, I'm afraid I might hurt somebody. You said it yourself the other day: I'm a frightening person just when I spar. When I fight for real, I'm a lot worse. Aerith…I hurt a lot of people when we escaped from Midgar. I'm just…really afraid that I'll hurt somebody here…somebody who doesn't deserve to get hurt. Do you know why that is?"

There was silence for a moment.

"…Why?" Aerith finally asked.

"Because _I_ was hurt," Sephiroth answered, "I had people hurting me, just to see how fast I could heal from my injuries. I had people scaring me within an inch of my life, just to see how quickly I could protect myself. And do you know what the worst part of that is? That it happened to me when I was your age. When you have to deal with that for years upon years, you start to get angry. And your mind begins to travel to some dark places. You start to think about how much fun it would be to hurt others…the same way you've been hurt yourself. I haven't completely lost myself yet…so I still know that it's wrong to think that way. Dr. Triton thinks that if I go to live at the Gaian temple in Mideel, that the monks who live there can teach me how to make myself better."

Aerith's feet disappeared under the bed. Sephiroth could hear her turn around, and her hands appeared instead.

"How long will it take?" Aerith's voice seemed to be slightly calmer now.

"I don't know," Sephiroth answered sadly.

"Long enough to forget about me?" Aerith asked as her head peaked out, and red-rimmed green eyes stared up at him.

Sephiroth looked down at her. He smiled and knelt down in front of her. "How could you ever think that?" he asked as he gently took one of her hands, "I could never forget about you, or your mother. I could never forget about this place, even though I've only been living here a few weeks. It's the bad things I want to forget."

"Will you write me letters, like you did when you went to Gongaga?" she asked softly, wiping her eyes.

"Yes," he answered with a reassuring smile, "I'll tell you all about the temple. Eventually, you'll start school, and you'll be able to write me back, and tell me what it's like going there. You're lucky, you know. I never got to go to a real school, and I probably never will."

"I'll start practicing writing my ABC's again," Aerith promised him, "And when I learn to read, I'll already know how to write. Mama says that she'll help me with my schoolwork when I start going, so she'll probably help me write my letters too."

"That's fine," Sephiroth said, still smiling and holding Aerith's hand, "And I'm not leaving for a couple days yet. So let's make a deal, okay? Let's not be sad right now, because I'm not gone yet. We'll still have fun together while I'm still here. I'll still be here long enough to finish reading you that new book Barnabas gave you the other day. And why don't we go to the Ice Palace right now? I've still got some money. We'll order something that makes our tongues change color, all right?"

Aerith nodded excitedly. Sephiroth helped her out from under the bed. Together they stood up, and left the room.

* * *

Elfé squinted as she opened her eyes, only for the morning sun to be shining directly in them. Quickly, she slid out of her hospital bed and pulled the blinds down.

"Good morning," Ifalna said brightly as she walked into the girl's room. "How are you feeling today?"

"I don't know," the preteen answered as she sat on the bed and slid back underneath the sheets, "Dr. Triton says my operation is in two days."

Ifalna nodded solemnly. "Are you scared?" she asked as she sat down next to the girl.

"Something tells me I'll be okay after it's all over," said Elfé, "But…all the same…I just don't know what's going to happen afterward. I know I won't be the amazing fighter Master Terrato was training me to be. I…just hope I'm not a burden now."

"What would make you say something like that?" Ifalna asked as she laid a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "He'll be happy enough that you won't be having these attacks anymore, and that you'll live a long, healthy life."

"I can see the hope in his eyes when he and the other resistance fighters train me," said Elfé, "He even has me training the younger students in his class. Without my fighting prowess…what am I?"

"A young girl with her entire life ahead of her," Ifalna answered with a smile.

"Is it true that you don't remember your past either?" Elfé suddenly asked.

"It is," the Cetra answered, "I only remember the past seven years or so."

"If you weren't able to cure your own amnesia, then I suppose you can't cure mine," Elfé sighed, looking out the window with a look of frustration.

"Don't give up hope," Ifalna said encouragingly, "They say anything can trigger a memory."

"Do you remember anything?" Elfé asked.

"The word 'sparks'," Ifalna answered, "I hear a young man say 'beautiful sparks'. I can't understand the context. Then there's the word 'geomancer'. You know, when I lived in Icicle Inn, I started growing my own food. Potatoes, tomatoes, the kind of stuff you can grow in a basement. But I had this urge to do so much more. Then when I saw the Geomancer's Grotto with the natural fountain and the pristinely carved stone, I thought- maybe one day I can try something like that…to shape nature like that."

Elfé shook her head. "No one could do that…oh, but then…I heard that you're the last of..."

"To my knowledge," said Ifalna, "I'm the last living Ancient, or Cetra. I prefer Cetra. I may not know exactly how old I am, but I know I'm young enough that the word 'ancient' isn't a fun way to be described." She let out a chuckle at that. "Well, anyway, that's all I remember. What about you?"

"Being picked up and tossed in the air," Elfé answered thoughtfully, "A man smiling at me as I land back in his arms. Master Terrato thinks it could be my father. I really wish I could remember more, but…"

She then looked nervously at her afflicted hand.

"What's wrong?" Ifalna peered at the girl, concerned.

"Fuhito thinks maybe I'm best off not knowing, given the state I was in when he found me," Elfé answered, "That's part of what I don't remember. All I remember, aside from what I just told you, starts with waking up in Cosmo Canyon, in Master Terrato's…my house."

Ifalna frowned, not happy with the fact that Fuhito seemed to be a regular acquaintance of the girl. Why did Terrato allow his ward to socialize with someone as slippery as that boy?

"Barnabas told me of his sparring match with Sephiroth," Elfé recalled, "I suppose he'll be the new prodigy of the resistance…'Avalanche', as they're starting to call it."

Ifalna suddenly looked sad.

"Sephiroth is leaving for Mideel in a couple of days," she explained to Elfé, "And personally, I think you're both too young to be involved in something so heavy as a group of rebels. You have years before you can decide what you want to do."

"He's leaving?" Elfé looked disappointed. "Then can you do me a favor? Can you get him to come see me before he leaves? I never got to thank him for bringing me here so quickly. I can still scarcely believe what happened that day."

Ifalna smiled at the girl. "I'll ask him."

"Thank you," said Elfé.

* * *

"Ifalna will not be happy at all if she finds out what we're doing," Sephiroth warned Elfé as he carried the girl piggy-back across the rocky path that lead to Barnabas' training spot.

Earlier in the day, Ifalna had brought Sephiroth to see the sick girl. When she had stepped out for just a moment, Elfé announced what she wanted to do. She wanted to have one last sparring session with someone her age who could put up a good fight, before her surgery. Sephiroth had agreed, since he had been curious about the girl with the mysterious powers of strength, speed and stamina. If she really _was_ going to lose all of that after the surgery, then he decided he might as well help fulfill her last request.

They made plans to sneak her out next evening, when Nurse Sheila would be working and everyone else would be asleep. The woman in question was more interested in her books than she was in doing her job properly(namely keeping an eye on the patients). Elfé had already had success in sneaking around her when she wanted a bit of fresh air late at night, or an extra helping of ice cream from the freezer in the staff lounge.

"We're almost there," Elfé remarked.

"Good!" Aerith piped in, "I'm getting tired."

"I knew that would happen when you decided to come with me rather than stay in bed," Sephiroth chuckled as he set Elfé down on the platform, "But, I promised to spend my time with you until it was time for me to leave. And I suppose we can't have a proper sparring match without my favorite referee."

"But we're asking this little girl to lie to her mother," Elfé said disapprovingly as she took a few steps back, unsheathed her sword and swung it a few times.

"Silly!" Aerith giggled, "If my mother _asks_ me if Seph and I snuck you out to have a sword-fight, then I'll say yes. If she doesn't, then do I really have to say anything?"

Sephiroth smiled and shook his head. Five years old and already lying by omission? She would be quite the challenge for Ifalna once she got older. At least this made things easier right now.

"You were a lot less eager to sneak out here when I wanted to watch Barnabas train," Sephiroth recalled.

"It's not nice to sneak up on people," Aerith admonished him, "This is different. You're helping someone."

"The adults won't see it that way," Sephiroth pointed out.

"Even the grown-ups outside of Midgar are silly," said Aerith, "Mama did a good job taking care of Elfé. She has the Lifestream holding her. Nothing bad is going to happen from a few minutes of playing. People worry too much!"

Sephiroth nodded in agreement.

"Ready?" Aerith asked loudly.

Elfé assumed a fighting stance. Sephiroth summoned Masamune and did the same.

"Hajime!" Aerith shouted as she swung her hand down.

* * *

_"Where are you?" Ifalna asked as she searched through the bright green tendrils that made up the Lifestream, "Faremis, I can sense you here! Please show yourself!"_

_"Hello, Ifalna."_

_She spun around and saw him standing in front of her. He looked the same as the last time they had met, as the dead never changed._

_"You've been healing," Gast remarked, "in many senses of the word."_

_"Have you been watching?" Ifalna asked warily._

_Gast nodded. "I'm so sorry about what you had to go through…"_

_"Don't," Ifalna quickly cut in. "I've decided I'm not going to let it affect the rest of my life."_

_"I'm glad. The time will come when you meet someone else…if you haven't already."  
_

_Ifalna shook her head. "I think it's a little soon to talk about that."_

_"Is it? I know fate ripped us apart when we were really only just starting out, but what's done is done. The vows were 'till death do us part', and I'm unfortunately, quite dead."_

_Ifalna nodded silently, a pained expression on her face. __"We were so happy together…" she whispered._

_"We'll both be happy again," her late husband reassured her, "You'll find someone, and as for me…it's time."_

_"Time?" Ifalna looked confused._

_"I've spent the past five years resisting the Lifestream," Gast explained, "just so I could make sure you and Aerith were all right. Only this past month have I been able to see that you are indeed doing well. I'm happy to know that the two of you will be fine, and I think that holds true no matter what happens. You'll move on…and so will I. I can't ignore the call of the planet anymore, Ifalna."_

_"I'll never see you again?!" Ifalna realized, horrified._

_HUSH..._

_A warm, soothing sensation filled Ifalna from head to toe. She recognized the booming yet gentle voice that she heard only a few times, when things became too much for her._

_"Planet…" she whispered._

_LIFE IS FLEETING…LOVE IS FOREVER…YOU WILL NEVER FORGET..._

_"But I _have_ forgotten," Ifalna laughed bitterly, "That's part of my problem."_

_THE KEY TO THAT WILL COME IN TIME. FOR NOW, YOU MUST HEAL. JUST AS THE CALAMITY'S CHILD HEALS, SO WILL YOU._

_"Listen to your friend," Gast chuckled, "I think it knows what it's talking about."_

_"The planet is right about one thing," said Ifalna as she approached her husband and slid her arms around him, "I'll never _ever_ forget you."_

_"Not so long as our daughter keeps wearing those sunglasses of mine, you won't," Gast said with a grin._

_Ifalna felt a tear trickle down her cheek._

_"Goodbye, Ifalna…" Gast whispered, "You truly were my salvation."_

_"I got you killed," Ifalna sighed._

_"Better to live a short, honest life, than a long life of sin," Gast pointed out, "which I would have done had not not been for you."  
_

_Ifalna stepped back as she felt him start to fade away. Professor Faremis Gast smiled one last time and blew his wife a kiss before he disappeared completely._

_Before Ifalna's heart could break, she felt herself enveloped by the planet's warmth once more. She smiled, fading from the Lifestream before settling into a peaceful, dreamless sleep._

* * *

"That was probably the best match I've ever had," Sephiroth panted as he stood above Elfé. Despite Aerith's assurances that Elfé would be fine, Sephiroth had discarded his normal victory stance of one foot on his opponent's chest for a modified pose. He still didn't want to go too far, and simply had each foot planted next to either side of her body.

Perhaps that was a sign of hope, if he wasn't going too far?

Elfé lay panting, staring up at him with both amazement and admiration in her eyes.

"You could still be a good swordswoman," Sephiroth told her as he stepped back and helped her up, "For only a year-and-a-half's worth of training, you've got good technique. You only lost against me because I've been training a lot longer." He smirked. "Otherwise, you _might_ be the one carrying _me_ back to the hospital."

"Wow…" Aerith whispered. She walked up to Elfé. "You're really, really good!"

Elfé managed a tiny smile. "Thank you. I gave it the best I could for my last fight."

"Last fight?" Aerith repeated, frowning.

"After the materia embedded in my hand is removed tomorrow, I'll no longer have the strength and speed that I fought with just now," Elfé explained to the little girl.

Aerith scowled. "So you were cheating just now?"

Elfé stopped short and stared at the child. "I beg your pardon?"

"If the materia was what was making you so strong, then that's cheating!" Aerith explained matter-of-factly. "That means that once the operation is over, and you get better, you can start practicing for real!"

"I…" Elfé glanced at Sephiroth, and then back at Aerith, "I never thought of it that way."

"How old are you?" Sephiroth asked.

"I'm not exactly sure," Elfé said as she scratched the back of her head, "I figure I'm about ten or so."

"Plenty of people are older when they start training with the sword," said Sephiroth, "The standard Shinra army recruit is eighteen right now…though when I left, they were planning to lower the age of acceptance to fourteen. Still, though, a lot of recruits pick up a sword for the very first time in their lives while in basic training. Kids like you and I have a considerable head-start."

"What about me?" Aerith asked.

"What _about_ you?" Sephiroth replied.

"I wanna be strong too!" Aerith said, "I've decided. I still don't wanna use a sword, because I don't wanna cut people…but Uncle Barnabas says there's other weapons out there that don't cut. You just bonk people on the head with them, or knock them down."

"Escrima?" Elfé suggested to Sephiroth.

"Hmm…maybe," Sephiroth mused, "A hammer might be a bit too heavy for someone of Aerith's size…I say a good old-fashioned staff might work."

"You're probably right," Elfé agreed.

"You really should learn hand-to-hand," Sephiroth said to Aerith, "I keep telling you that ANSMA would be a good place for you to study."

"ANSMA?" Aerith repeated, not understanding.

"The Academy of Non-Striking Martial Arts," Sephiroth reminded her, "The school that Master Terrato runs."

"Once I recover," Elfé said, "I hope to still be able to train there."

"So I'd see you there if I took wrestling lessons?" Aerith asked.

"It's more than just wrestling, but yes," Elfé answered, "I'd be there."

"Okay, I'll do it," said Aerith.

Sephiroth chuckled. Deciding to take lessons just because another kid was doing it. He had spent weeks trying to convince her using logical reasons, to no avail. What a whimsical child.

* * *

"Here," Ifalna handed Sephiroth a paper bag, "It's a tuna fish sandwich and a pear, in case you get hungry."

He stood at the bus depot the next morning, his bags packed and sitting next to him. Ifalna, Aerith, and Barnabas stood in front of him. The mood was certainly somber.

Dr. Triton was operating on Elfé that very moment. She had said her goodbyes to Sephiroth an hour ago.

Sephiroth looked at Ifalna. "Tell Elfé goodbye for me. I look forward to hearing about her progress. Tell Dr. Triton I'll miss her sea-salt ice cream."

"Ah, Seph…" Barnabas laughed, "Only you could fall in love with the Dragon Lady's freezer-burned popsicles. There's a creamery in East Mideel that makes the Ice Palace look lame by comparison."

Sephiroth chuckled as he went over to Barnabas and shook his hand. He then leaned in closely.

"Look after them while I'm gone," Sephiroth whispered to the fighter, "You're a good swordsman, even if I did beat you at sparring. But I beat everyone."

"Sure thing, you cocky little punk," Barnabas said good-naturedly.

Just then, Aerith pounced on Sephiroth, clinging to his waist.

"Bye, Seph…" she said, her voice breaking.

Suddenly, Sephiroth lifted the little girl into the air and her closely to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Don't forget about me…" he whispered, immediately wondering why he had said that.

"Never!" Aerith promised.

Sephiroth couldn't help but smile as he set her down. Then, he placed his hands on her shoulders, and leaned forward, planting a small kiss in the middle of her forehead.

Ifalna started to choke up. Never before had she seen Sephiroth kiss anyone. Barnabas quickly put his hand on her shoulder. She glanced at him, slightly surprised by the gesture, but allowed his hand to remain there.

"Mama, you told _me_ not to cry and now _you're_ doing it!" Aerith accused her mother.

"Sorry…" Ifalna laughed, "I'll try harder, okay?"

Sephiroth went over to Ifalna and hugged her, closing his eyes.

"You're going to be okay," Ifalna whispered, "I'm so proud of you…and I know you'll keep making me proud."

"I never had a mother…" Sephiroth began, but found himself unable to say anything else.

"I know…" Ifalna said. He didn't need to say anything else. Just that alone said it all. He was just as much the son she never had as she was the mother he never had. "And you're welcome back here anytime. Hopefully we'll have an actual home for you to visit by then."

Sephiroth nodded silently as he then turned around and walked toward the waiting shuttle bus. All of the other people boarding had already said goodbye to their respective friends and loved ones, and had gotten on. He quickly boarded the bus, sitting in an empty seat in the back by the window. A pained expression crossed his face as he placed both of his hands on the window. The door closed with a loud hissing noise, making him jump. His eyes never left Aerith and Ifalna as the bus slowly pulled away.

Only when they were finally out of sight did several tears manage to make their way down his face.

* * *

"Aerith?"

The five-year-old glanced at her mother from next to the window where she sat. It had been several hours since Sephiroth had left. She had followed Ifalna to her job at the hospital, where Aerith stayed in a playroom with two other children around her age, whose parents also worked in the hospital. All of the staff had complimented Ifalna on having such an adorable and well-behaved daughter, but Ifalna figured that Aerith's subdued behavior was more out of depression than obedience.

Ifalna smiled at her. "Why aren't you coloring? Don't you usually like to get your crayons out after dinner?"

"Not tonight," Aerith sighed. She resumed staring outside, watching the sun setting in the distance.

Ifalna held out her arms. "Come here, sweetie."

Aerith got up from her seat and walked over to the couch where her mother sat. Ifalna pulled the little girl into her lap and held her close.

"Sephiroth has been through a lot in his life," she explained gently, "He's hurting inside. He needs spiritual healing, which the monks can help him with. They'll be looking after him. It took years for him to become the way he is…it'll probably take years to make him better."

"There's nothing wrong with him!" Aerith insisted stubbornly.

"You know that's not true…" Ifalna said sadly, "You feel it just like I do."

"You said Sephiroth was family!" Aerith cried, "Families aren't supposed to get split up!"

"But they do sometimes…" Ifalna said softly, "That's why Elfé lives with Master Terrato, instead of with her parents. It's why I'm here with you, while your father was absorbed into the Lifestream."

"I don't like it," Aerith said as she lay down and put her head in her mother's lap, "It's too sad!"

Ifalna looked pained. "I know it is. But-!" she then smiled, "-we've got a lot of new things happening to us now. And we're not going to have much time to sit around feeling sad. You're going to be starting school in the fall. I have my new job, and eventually, we won't be living at the inn anymore. You'll be making new friends, and you know Sephiroth will write to us. Now that you'll be in school, you'll learn how to write back."

Aerith scrubbed at her eyes and said nothing.

"I'll miss him too," said Ifalna, "You know he'll come and visit us, right? And maybe we can go to Mideel and visit him as well."

"Okay," Aerith mumbled, her face buried in her mother's knee.

"Ohh…don't be sad, little one," Ifalna whispered soothingly as she stroked her daughter's hair, "You'll be okay…the both of you will be okay…"

* * *

"Good morning, milady," Barnabas said playfully as Ifalna walked into the lobby the next morning. The handyman/fighter stood on a ladder putting a new light-bulb into an overhead lamp.

"Hello," Ifalna greeted him with a smile. "Say, how many grapplers _does_ it take to change a light-bulb?"

"Oh-_ho!_ I like that!" Barnabas chuckled as he climbed down the ladder.

"Is there anywhere I _won't_ run into you?" Ifalna teased.

"The men's room, I'm guessing," Barnabas joked, "Unless you're some kinda peeper and you're not telling me…?"

"You-!" Ifalna turned red, but bit her lip to keep from laughing all the same. Barnabas simply grinned back at her.

"How's Aerith?" he asked.

Ifalna's expression sobered.

"Still a little sad," she sighed, "But she did seem excited when I told her I'd start teaching her how to write the alphabet. And she's happy that she'll be starting school soon. She wants to learn to read as soon as possible, so she can write to Sephiroth herself."

Barnabas nodded. "And you?"

Ifalna smiled. "Aside from missing Sephiroth, what can I say? In just a few weeks, my life has completely turned around. And honestly…I have faith that things will turn out all right for Sephiroth as well…and that makes me happier than I've been…in a very long time."

Barnabas nodded. "That means a lot to me," he said. "Ever since the three of you came here, life's been just a bit more interesting."

"Sephiroth's not the only one dealing with nightmares," Ifalna confessed, "I'll have this one dream that's always the same: I'm too sick to go on…or I've been shot. There I am…on the floor…for some reason I always hear a train whistling. All I can do is call out to anyone who can hear…or will listen…I beg them to take Aerith somewhere safe…then I wake up."

"Just a dream," Barnabas reassured her.

Ifalna nodded uneasily. "Yes, I know. Maybe it's just that I'm not used to having things turn out as wonderfully as they have lately. I keep doubting my luck."

"Yeah, well, you know, sometimes things actually _stay_ good," the athletic man pointed out, "So just keep planning for the future. Speaking of which, what _have _you planned? You've got yourself a nice little job courtesy of my aunt. What happens next?"

"There's a nice little two-bedroom apartment I was checking out," said Ifalna, "Tomorrow I plan to get the ball rolling on signing a lease."

"Any plans for a housewarming party?" Barnabas asked hopefully.

"You and Dr. Triton are certainly invited for dinner," Ifalna happily informed him. "All of the fire-cats can hopefully come over as well, along with Master Terrato and Elfé. Hopefully she'll be better by then. I also hoped I could steal Elder Bugenhagen away from his observatory for the evening. I think the place will fit us all."

"I'm looking forward to it," Barnabas said happily.

Ifalna nodded. "Now in the meantime, I'll wait for word from Sephiroth. I hope he gets to the temple all right. That, and I hope he's able to settle in…"

* * *

The bus had arrived at yet another non-Shinra port after a day's worth of traveling. The ship Sephiroth then boarded was faster than the one that had taken him to the western continent. It had only taken three days to cross the seas, passing underneath both the western and eastern continents, finally arriving on the west coast of Mideel.

An old friend of Dr. Triton's had met Sephiroth at the port, and driven him to the large stone fortress-like building. The grand abbot himself was waiting outside. Introductions were made, and Sephiroth followed the old man into his office. After telling his story to both both Dr. Triton and Ifalna, he had become used to explaining himself. It had ended up being slightly easier to tell the grand abbot exactly why he had come, despite the fact that he was talking to a complete stranger. However, Dr. Triton had nothing but praise for the grand abbot, and had encouraged him to trust the old man.

It was already dinnertime when their meeting had ended. Sephiroth was given a set of initiate robes, and matched up with an advisor: a senior initiate who already knew the ropes of life at the temple. The two of them ate dinner together, Sephiroth only speaking when spoken to. He knew the grand abbot was important to his progress, but the young man he sat in front of at the small table in the mess hall…well, he probably wasn't a bad guy, but Sephiroth knew he would never be the outgoing type. His advisor had better learn to deal with that.

"I'm sure the grand abbot told you he'd be working with you this week to identify the root of your problems," said the advisor as they ate.

Sephiroth nodded, rolling the sleeves on the grey robes he now wore. The last thing he wanted was to get food on them.

"I was a mess when I first arrived and started working with him," the advisor told him, "I'd had a nervous breakdown due to parental pressure to attend Shinra University. I'd graduated high school when I was fifteen, and had every choice available for college. Frankly, I wanted to go to Ragnarok University, but my folks are both brainwashed by the Shinra. Dad's an architect who designed the president's summer home, and my mom is part of their huge legal team. I'd heard about the temple when I spoke to a Ragnarok alumna who had trained here under one of the less intensive programs. She visited me in the psych ward when I was recovering, told me the details, and well, here I am, three years later."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. So the Shinra had hurt another young man's psyche? Perhaps he and this young man did have something in common with after all.

"I hate the Shinra," he said angrily.

The senior initiate grinned. "Well, I did too, but hate doesn't exactly make the world go around, no matter how much it seems to be true. See…I've forgiven my parents…even though they still haven't forgiven me for leaving."

"Forgiveness isn't something I see in my cards," Sephiroth stated, his voice cold as ice.

"Well, one step at a time," the young man said reassuringly, "First, the grand abbot will work to identify the dark thoughts that are bringing your head into such a bad place. Then…well, that's up to you. The temple gives you the tools, but you're the one who chooses what to do with them..."

* * *

The housewarming dinner had been enjoyable for all involved. Everyone that Ifalna had invited had shown up, even Bugenhagen on his floating green sphere. Dr. Triton and Barnabas had cooked and brought dinner over, while Shuroya, Kimu, and Terrato had contributed their funds to buy the nice dinner table the group now sat at, complete with chairs. Shuroya, Kimu, Nanaki and Deneh ate off the floor, which Ifalna had apologized for more than once. She promised to get a coffee table for the four of them to eat off of as soon as possible. The feline beasts simply shrugged it off, claiming they were used to eating off the floor.

"It doesn't make us true animals," Kimu had laughed.

Aerith, Elfé, Nanaki and Deneh had amused themselves in Aerith's currently empty bedroom(save for a cot). The two younger fire-cats told stories while Aerith and Elfé listened attentively.

Everybody that came had commented on Elfé's speedy recovery, and had toasted Ifalna, thankful to her again for having discovered the cause of Elfé's sickness. The Cetra had blushed furiously and endured everyone's sincere praise.

Finally, Aerith began to nod off, signaling to everyone that it was likely time to go home. Goodbyes were said, thank-you's were exchanged, and finally Ifalna was able to put Aerith to bed.

Just as she was about to sit in her room and read, there was a knock at the door. Figuring that someone might have forgotten something, she went to answer.

"Oh, Barnabas!" she said with a smile as the rugged man stood in her doorway, "Did you leave something here?"

Barnabas glanced at his feet, and then at her face.

"I'd hoped to get a moment alone to talk to you," he said, "But I guess I shouldn't be so surprised that everyone likes you so much, and as a result they keep taking up your time. I thought maybe I'd just talk to you tomorrow, but I don't wanna wait that long."

"Do you want to come inside?" Ifalna asked, sensing that Barnabas was serious about whatever it was he wanted to talk about.

Barnabas nodded as he stepped inside. Ifalna closed the door.

"I'm just gonna come right out and ask you," Barnabas said to her: "How do you feel about me?"

Ifalna looked away. With all the smiles, jokes and pleasantries exchanged, and the meals they had shared over the past month, she had half-expected this conversation to occur. Still, she was surprised, as she had thought it wouldn't be for yet a while longer.

She turned around, a troubled look now clouding her face.

"You can't possibly tell me this is a one-sided thing…" Barnabas pressed, stepping closer to her.

"No…" Ifalna admitted, "It's not. You've been so kind to me…and to Aerith and Sephiroth."

Barnabas put his arms around Ifalna, resting his cheek against her head.

"It's been such a long time…" Ifalna whispered, "…since I ever thought about the possibility of…" she trailed off. Love and (consensual)sex were things she had made herself forget when she had lost her freedom. But now the potential for it all was standing right next to her, and a lot to handle. The thought if it was nothing compared to the burning feeling inside that she hadn't felt in over five years, as she felt Barnabas' shoulders pressing against the back of hers.

"You still think about Aerith's father, don't you?" he said quietly.

"He understands," said Ifalna, "Last week…he finally said goodbye to me. He's one with The Planet now."

"I still can't get over it…" Barnabas marveled softly, "The last known Cetra."

"A gift and a curse for as long as I can remember," Ifalna sighed, "The Planet forgive me…"

"You're hardly a curse…" Barnabas murmured softly in her ear. He then softly kissed her cheek. "The truth of the matter is, I'm falling hard for you, and fast. I've also grown quite attached to that little girl of yours.

"I admit…" Ifalna said slowly, looking straight ahead, "…I've grown fond of you as well."

"It's your call…" He kissed her cheek again.

"It's all happening so quickly…" Ifalna said as she closed her eyes, finding the feel of his stubble brushing against her oddly pleasant, despite her heart pounding due to nerves.

Sensing that he might be pressuring her, Barnabas let go and stepped back.

"I'm a patient man," he reassured her, lifting his hands up slightly as if in surrender, "If you want, we can do it like this: tomorrow, I take you out for lunch during your break. Then I walk you home after work. Little things. We'll see where it goes from there?"

"I'd like that," Ifalna answered sincerely, relieved that he didn't expect to wind up in her bed right away. Still, she found herself wondering how something like _that_ would work around Aerith.

Barnabas lifted his hand to Ifalna's face, softly caressing it. "You got it," he whispered, "I don't mind slow and steady." He turned around and headed for the door, opening it and casting one last smile in Ifalna's direction before he left.

Ifalna's hand rose up, absently touching the part of her face where his fingers had been. She sat down on the empty living room floor, gazing at the stars through her window. She stayed there for a good half-hour before she rose, and then went to get ready for bed.

* * *

_June, 1990_

_Dear Sephiroth,_

_ Elfé has made a full recovery, and seems almost as if she's coming out of a fog. Her personality is more vibrant than the distant young girl we all first met. __Personally, I feel nothing but dread when I touch that strange object that was taken out of her, but Bugenhagen took a keen interest in it. Thus, off it went to his observatory with all of his other planetary knick-knacks. Contrary to what I'd thought before, it's actually a _piece_ of a large materia, the likes of which I've never seen before…at least not that I can remember._

__Fuhito was caught trying to steal that same materia piece from Bugenhagen's place. I don't know what kind of ideas were going through that boy's head, but I'm glad he didn't get his hands on it. Bugenhagen didn't want to press charges, but _Dr. Triton fired the boy, and he suddenly left town two days ago. I'm glad that we kept your location a secret, especially when you told me what he said about Hojo. True, he doesn't know the extent of Hojo's dirty secrets, but anyone can see that the "walking mass of complexes" as you cleverly put it, is insane. Why anyone would admire a monster like him is beyond me. I'm glad that boy is gone, but part of me worries what he'll do next._

_ I knew saving the money we made from selling that stolen Shinra gear would pay off! I was able to put in a deposit for a month-to-month lease on a two-bedroom apartment for myself and Aerith. You'll see the pictures of it enclosed inside. It's hard for now, since the place is un-furnished. Aerith and I have been sleeping on cots for the time being. Dr. Triton offered me extra work following her around on her rounds on the outskirts of town. I figure in about two weeks, Aerith and I will finally have nice beds to sleep on. Right now, we have a dining room table and chairs, courtesy of Master Terrato, Shuroya and Kimu. The living room, however, is empty for now._

_ What are your lodgings like? I imagine they can't be much more basic than ours are right now. I hope you're settling in nicely. We both miss you._

_Love,_

_Ifalna &amp; Aerith_

* * *

_Dear Ifalna &amp; Aerith,_

_ Cots aren't so bad once you get used to them, but I suppose you don't plan to give them a chance. Haha(see? I'm laughing!)_

_ They certainly don't give you the chance to lay around and feel sorry for yourself. I'm busy every waking hour of the day with chores, meditation, martial arts, more meditation, and for initiates like myself, one-on-one time with our advisors._

_ The grand abbot assigned me my own advisor, who, along with the abbot, works with me to help reach inside my mind and see what's eating away at me. I won't lie, they're worried about me, just as you and Dr. Triton were. It's hard. I can't explain right now. But I won't let my demons win. If Jenova is truly responsible for the fragile state of my mind, then I'm really going to have my work cut out for me. I'm just glad that you had the courtesy to tell me about that monster all those years ago. The Shinra would have been all too happy to keep that from me. Can you imagine what could have happened if I ended up finding out about that years from now, as an adult?_

_One more thing: they asked me what my last name was. I decided to use my mother's name. You can see that on the return address. I wrote S. Crescent(I abbreviated my first name just in case Shinra has eyes in the postal system)._

_-Sephiroth_

* * *

_ Dear Sephiroth,_

_ At the risk of sounding like a broken record, you know what I always tell you: don't ever give up. You're not Jenova. You're Sephiroth: a unique and very special person, who I owe my life and sanity to. I know you'll get through this. Aerith and I will pray for you every day._

_ I wish there was more to write, aside from the fact that we did finally get our beds, delivered from Dragoonshire. They say that furniture built using lumber from there is built to last. Hopefully my back will stop hurting now._

_You make a good point about Shinra watching the mail. Hence why the return address in this letter simply has my initials: I.G. Aerith and I both think that 'Sephiroth Crescent' sounds very distinguished._

_ Keep working hard. You're doing so well. _

_Love,_

_Ifalna &amp; Aerith _

* * *

_September, 1990_

_Dear Ifalna &amp; Aerith,_

_I didn't say anything in my previous letters, because I wanted to be sure it wasn't just wishful thinking. For the past two months, I've been spending my free time with two guys my age from Banora. I met them when I was on a field trip with the other initiates. There was an arms tournament, and there happened to be a youth division. I had no interest in entering at the time, so I simply watched from the concessions stand. Have you ever had soft pretzels? The variety of toppings you can put on them are a force to be reckoned with, putting sea-salt ice cream to shame(don't tell Dr. Triton I said that)._

_ The contest was a farce, both the youth and adult versions, UNTIL, a boy my age with red hair entered the ring. He turned the contest into a joke, the way he could move with a sword. I instantly changed my mind and wanted to enter, but registration was closed, much to my complete disappointment._

_ After he swept the next two matches, another competitor around my age stepped in. Well-built fellow, with black hair. Not as cocky-looking as the red-head, but just as skilled, and he made a mockery of his opponents…so to speak. He wasn't showing off the way the other one was._

_ Inevitably, they fought their way to the last match, where they squared off for a good ten minutes until they ran out of time. Finally, the black-haired one was declared the winner by the judges- split decision, which basically means it was a very close match._

_ I couldn't help myself. Afterwards, I found them, summoned Masamune, and I challenged them each. You should have seen the looks on their faces. I think they had been used to being second-to-none for a very long time._

_ I fought the red-head(his name is Genesis) first. I still won, but it was the most challenging fight I had...until I fought the other one(his name is Angeal) right after. Took much longer. Never has that happened. Even Barnabas lost to me in a fraction of the time it took with these guys, despite his incredible sword skills. But two boys my own age, no less. Rather than feel threatened, I'm excited by all of this._

_ I'm so glad the Shinra don't concern themselves with this area. They would never stop harassing those two to join their army. I'll admit- they would make good soldiers. However, I think I see Genesis growing up to be a poet…or an inventor. He reads poetry, and he's a bit of a local celebrity for creating the famous "Banora White apple juice"._

_ Angeal…he's the kind of person you can have a serious conversation with. I think you both would enjoy meeting him. I've never met a guy who enjoyed gardening, but that happens to be one of his hobbies. I'm sure he'd love to pick your brain for gardening tips, Ifalna. He grows some pretty good tomatoes, and turns them into the best sauce I've ever had the pleasure of putting on a plate of pasta(no more low-carb diets for me)._

_ Every week since I've met them, we "hang out", as they put it. We explore the wilderness, kill monsters and sell their hides for gil. Angeal and I help Genesis cart crates full of cans containing his juice. I had the idea of marketing the drink to Mideel…and Cosmo Canyon, which is why I sent this package where you'll find two cans of Banora White apple juice: one for you, and one for Aerith. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do._

_How is Aerith liking school?_

_-Sephiroth_

* * *

_ Dear Sephiroth,_

_ I couldn't be happier for you that you've made friends your own age, with two very exceptional boys from your description! (I think Aerith is a bit jealous, but I know she'll get over it)_

_ The juice is delicious. Aerith and I were sad to run out of it so quickly. I think it would make an excellent addition to the Ice Palace's menu. Ask your friend if he's ever tried freezing it. Add some vodka to it, and it might make a good mixed drink to serve at the bar.(I certainly hope you three wait until you're of age to try it, though!)_

_Aerith is quickly making friends of her own at school. Every day she tells me about the other children. She was frustrated that she didn't come home from her first day already knowing how to read, but she now knows it will take time. Today, she learned to count by tens, and has been doing so all evening. I finally had to put a moratorium on counting, it was simply driving me crazy!_

_I look forward to hearing more about your new friends. Your letters from this past summer did seem brighter, but I'm happy to know that they were probably contributing to that._

_Love,_

_Ifalna &amp; Aerith_

* * *

_January, 1991_

_Dear Sephiroth,_

_ I have some wonderful news! As I mentioned to you in previous letters, Barnabas and I have been seeing each other for the past several months. Last night, he proposed to me, and I said yes. Aerith and I will be moving into his house on the outskirts of town as soon as possible. We haven't set a date just yet._

_ Aerith is very excited about this. She's thrilled to finally have a "daddy". Sephiroth…this may sound a bit strange considering how young you are, but I would be ecstatic if you not only could make it to the wedding, but also if you would be the one to give me away. Yes, you'd have to dress up, but no, not in a full suit. I really hope you say yes. You have no idea how much it would mean to me, and to Aerith._

_Speaking of Aerith, I have included her very first letter to you._

_Love,_

_Ifalna_

**There was also a piece of paper with a crudely-drawn light blue dress, with shaky handwriting below:**

_DEAR SEPHIROTH,_

_ THIS IS MY DRESS FOR THE WEDDING DINNER!_

_LOVE,_

_AERITH_

* * *

A/N: And so ends part one of this story, where Ifalna, Aerith, and Sephiroth all get the chance to heal. It's a bit bittersweet that Sephiroth had to heal far away from the two people he loved the most. But the original story itself was bittersweet. Final Fantasy 7 is a tale of growth, discovery and friendship; but also of pain, loss, and the fear of loss. I wanted to keep things in that vein.

Keep checking in, folks. This story isn't even halfway over, whether or not I make it one or two.


	11. Part 2: The Calling: Prologue

**Part 2: The Calling**

* * *

Shout-outs:

mistgun4: Glad you're enjoying the story. Is this quick enough for an update? ;)

faunalind: I'm happy you like my O.C.'s. Normally pairing an original character with a canon character is seen as a cardinal sin in fan-fiction. However, I figure since it's a character who was never prominent in the original game, that I could get away with it. Their union is important, and you'll start to see why in the chapters following this one. Characters like Wolff and Master Terrato technically DID exist in the games, but they were nameless people only alluded to, who had died years before the story began. Avalanche was started by a man who traveled to Cosmo Canyon and had an epiphany, but died prior to Before Crisis, leaving Elfe and Fuhito in charge. With Fuhito gone, and Ifalna around, things might get even more backward than they already are, though.

pterodactyls: Yes, I've decided to keep it as one long story. There will be a second one that really wraps things up once in for all, but for now, the story is only just starting to pick up. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

catxangel: Little Aerith has been a blast for me to write. Kids are fun little critters, and there's always inspiration in the kids I see every day, whether at work or on the street. Besides- little Aerith had to have some charm to her if she was able to hold Tseng off from kidnapping her for fifteen years. :)

badnephilim: Angeal and Genesis don't live at the monastery, but they do live close-by. Their backgrounds haven't changed, except they might not be quite as motivated to work for the Shinra if Sephiroth lets them know exactly how rotten they are… ;)

WhiteInfinity21: Expect a more outwardly serene Sephiroth, who despite being trained in hand-to-hand martial arts(being a monk), still loves his Masamune.

Ardwynna Morrigu: The trio will be more fun now that Sephiroth is an equal, rather than a role model.

JazzQueen: Sephiroth won't be able to stay away from his two favorite ladies for long. :)

* * *

Prologue: Bad Day

April, 2002

Twenty-five-year-old Angeal Hewley examined the corpse of the monster he had just killed, and then pulled a cloth out of the cargo pocket on his pants. He began to clean the blood off of his large broadsword.

"I'll throw this thing in the cargo bed," Sephiroth offered as he grabbed the body of the giant beast, dragging it toward Angeal's old pickup truck, which sat nearby.

Genesis Rhapsodos looked around the jungle they had been wandering through, where they had spent the last hour killing monsters. "I think that's it," he said.

"No signs of life." Angeal agreed.

They waited until Sephiroth walked back over to them.

Genesis grinned. "So let's have some fun, huh?"

"Very well…" Sephiroth said with a nod.

"Does one of us referee?" Angeal asked, lifting up his broadsword, "Or will we do 'two on one'?"

"Two on one," Genesis answered, maintaining his grin as he lifted up a rapier and glanced at the dark-haired man, "Your first match with that fancy new sword, Angeal! Perhaps Sephiroth and I should team up against you and see how that new…what do you call that thing again?"

Angeal smiled proudly. "Buster Sword."

Sephiroth took several steps back and gave Masamune a few practice swings. "Use it well," he said appreciatively, "I've never seen you work harder than you have this past year to buy that thing."

"You should have just let your dad get it for you like he offered," Genesis said, shaking his head ruefully, "Now your small fortune you've saved up for so long is gone."

Angeal shook his head. "And let him go to his grave paying off the debt he'd get into in order to afford this? I already had most of the money anyway. He didn't know that."

It was true. Angeal had always saved his share of the money the earned from Genesis' apple juice business, and their monster-hunting business. Unlike Sephiroth, who relished in having the freedom to earn and spend money, and Genesis, who was arguably spoiled, Angeal had what his two best friends teasingly referred to as "financial honor".

"I'd rather my father enjoy his retirement," Angeal went on, "Try to be considerate, Genesis. I can always earn more money in due time."

"Good thing the sword-smith kept it on hold for you during the year it took you to earn the rest of the money," Sephiroth stated.

This had been the year that Angeal and Genesis had ventured off the island of Mideel to peddle Banora White apple juice where they could. They had asked Sephiroth to join them, and he did…but insisted on splitting up when they went to Gongaga. Sephiroth continued north up to Cosmo Canyon, where Genesis and Angeal knew he had friends that he wrote to frequently.

"So," Genesis said, steering his friend back to the point of their excursion, "You against me and Sephiroth?"

Angeal raised his sword and assumed a defensive stance. "Show me what you've got!"

Genesis and Sephiroth glanced at each other, smirking and nodding before raising their swords and charging at Angeal.

Sephiroth struck first, having the advantage of a longer-ranged weapon. He thrust Masamune at Angeal's side(where the worst that would happen would be a scratch, rather than a stabbing), which Angeal easily deflected. Genesis leaped into the air, landing behind Angeal and slicing downward. Angeal dodged and cart-wheeled backwards with his free hand, quickly landing on his feet and taking advantage of an opening that Genesis left. Sephiroth intervened, blocking the strike and then counter-attacking.

"What did I say about leaving your back uncovered?" he reminded Genesis.

"I knew _you'd_ have my back," Genesis argued as he raised his left hand, activating the ice materia embedded in the bracer he wore under his glove. Three blocks of ice shot in Angeal's direction. The dark-haired young man held up his Buster Sword, using the foot-wide blade as a shield, deflecting the projectiles toward both Genesis and Sephiroth. Both men ducked in opposite directions, each rolling out of the way of the ice blocks, which all shattered against a large boulder.

Genesis charged at Angeal, swinging wildly. Not even bothering to use his sword, Angeal dodged every swing before leaping into the air and then diving at Sephiroth, his Buster Sword swinging in a wide arc.

Sephiroth shot back against a tree, avoiding Angeal's attack. He used his legs to spring against the angled trunk and launch himself into the air. The dark-haired swordsman leaped up, following him. The two men's swords clashed furiously against each other as they briefly hovered in mid-air.

Angeal and Genesis were the only other people aside from Sephiroth, and members of the SOLDIER program, who could suspend themselves in the air like that. Sephiroth could never fathom how. He knew that consistent usage of materia often led to extraordinary physical abilities, but even materia couldn't explain their extremely advanced abilities. According to both of them, they had been born and raised in Banora. Neither of them had been involved in any accidents with mako, as Barnabas had. Still, the Lifestream bled openly in the area just outside of Mideel Proper. He wondered if perhaps there was something that their respective parents weren't telling them.

He didn't have time to contemplate that theory right now, however. Seeing him and Angeal duking it out more than twenty feet up off the ground, Genesis took the opportunity to activate his fire materia, launching a few fireballs into the sky, watching gleefully as they hurtled toward Angeal. His enthusiasm was short-lived, however, as Angeal deflected every one of them, sending them off to the lake that was in the distance, where the water would put them out.

Both Sephiroth and Angeal landed on the ground. Angeal held out Buster Sword, activating one of the two materia embedded in the hilt. The ground began to tremble below both Genesis and Sephiroth. While Sephiroth jumped up into the air again, the small earthquake had caught Genesis, sending him to the ground, where his left arm landed against a sharp rock. The redhead grunted in pain.

A brief look of concern flashed in Angeal's eyes. That was all Sephiroth needed as he cast a "bio" spell on him. The results were instant, and Angeal immediately clutched his stomach, ready to throw up. With a single, powerful swipe of the Masamune, he knocked the large weapon out of his opponent's hands. Sephiroth then wasted no time in reaching out with his foot and sweeping Angeal's feet, sending him crashing to the ground, gasping and dry-heaving. His face had gone pale, also becoming a slight shade of green.

Sephiroth calmly walked over to him and pinned his chest underneath his foot. He then pulled an antidote out of his pocket and tossed it to his friend.

Angeal uncorked the medicine and quickly drank it, ignoring the awful taste. He took a few deep breaths and then finally relaxed, his complexion back to normal.

"Looks like I just need to break in my sword a bit more," he said as he remained pinned underneath Sephiroth's foot. He then noticed Genesis inspecting a cut on his arm. "Hey- you're bleeding!"

"Just a scratch," Genesis said dismissively as he started to walk back toward the truck, "Not even worthy of materia. You've still got that first-aid kit under the driver's seat, right?"

"Always," Angeal answered. He then looked up at Sephiroth, "Hey, how about letting me up?"

Sephiroth obliged his friend, lifting his foot and stepping back. Angeal got to his feet, brushing the dirt off of himself.

"Had to steal my thunder, huh?" Genesis complained as he came back with a roll of cloth and began to bandage the cut on his arm.

Sephiroth smirked at him. "Don't take it so personally. It's just how my kind operate."

"Your kind?" Angeal asked as he tapped Sephiroth's foot, indicated surrender.

"Us lefties are simply better at everything," Sephiroth chuckled as he lifted his foot, allowing Angeal to stand up, "Better swordsmen, better artists…"

"Yeah, so I hear," Genesis teased, "Some even say better lovers. I'll bet that's what the girl you met last summer who was vacationing in Mideel Proper said. Then of course, you had to go break her heart…"

Sephiroth's smirk vanished. He turned and began to walk away.

"Completely uncalled for," Angeal chided Genesis.

"Oh, nice," Genesis sneered, "He's the one who acts like a baby and runs away from what could have been a good thing, and _I'm_ the villain?"

"It's his life," Angeal pointed out, "If she's not who he wants to be with, then that's that. You're not his match-maker."

Genesis sighed, clearly annoyed. "Break time's over," he said, "We're done here, and we've got bounties to claim, not to mention crates of juice to deliver."

Sephiroth, having heard Genesis, turned, and without looking at his friends, headed off in the direction of Angeal's truck.

"What's with you these days?" Angeal asked as he and Genesis walked roughly twenty feet behind Sephiroth, "You're restless…no attention span…provoking Sephiroth, provoking myself. You're like a rabid puppy."

Genesis grimaced, and shook his head. "Is this all there is?" he asked, "Day in, day out, we run our little company. Monster hunters, and apple juice. Yet, Mideel is the limit. We could do so much more…if _he…_" Genesis nodded his head toward Sephiroth, "…would come out of that shell of a temple."

Sephiroth, having heard his friend, turned and glared in his direction.

"Idiot," Angeal chided Genesis, knowing Sephiroth's hearing was even better than theirs, which said a lot.

"It was meant for the 'turtle' to hear," Genesis said, staring right at the silver-haired man.

Angeal frowned, his mind traveling far away, into the past.

* * *

For twelve years, they had been the intrepid trio. Their friendship had endured the usual childhood spats, but also bitter confessions. Sephiroth's story had been what had ended his and Genesis' idea to work for the Shinra. They had talked about joining the new SOLDIER program, which had opened its doors for kids as young as thirteen. As a valid alternative to the dreary life that was high school, many young men(and a few women intrigued by the co-ed Turk program), were eager to seek their fortunes with the Shinra.

During the early spring months of 1991, several months after their friendship with Sephiroth had solidified, they had camped out in Genesis' back yard. Sephiroth had been in Cosmo Canyon for a wedding, and had been gone for an entire week. The camp-out was a sort of "welcome back" celebration for the two Banora natives' newest friend. Angeal and Genesis had seen the advertisements for SOLDIER all week since the program had officially launched. They had spoken excitedly about it to one another at school, eventually starting to make plans to join.

Genesis had wanted to include Sephiroth in their plans, and Angeal had agreed enthusiastically. The trio had already become famous in Banora: the rich heir, the poor boy, and the monk initiate, clearing the wilderness of monsters, and peddling Genesis' Banora White apple juice to stores in not only Banora, but a couple of the neighboring villages. The three mercenaries and entrepreneurs. The boy wonders. It only made sense that they could really take off with a program that seemed almost designed specifically _for_ them.

To their shock, however, Sephiroth had not only been against the idea, but had grown _furious_. He and Genesis began to argue, as the redhead couldn't understand what Sephiroth's problem was. With neither boy willing to listen to the other, they had ultimately come to blows.

It was Angeal who finally broke up the fight, but not before he had managed to sustain two black eyes at once: one from Sephiroth's fist, and one from Genesis'. That managed to snap them out of their brawl. He proceeded to mediate between the two of them; the first of many times. Anyone who happened to sneak by and watch the scene would have stopped short at the sight of Sephiroth and Genesis sitting cross-legged on either side of Angeal, whose eyes had swollen nearly shut in a way that was almost humorous. Materia usage was forbidden in Mideel to people under fifteen(another incentive for young teens to join SOLDIER), so Angeal simply had to endure his injuries until an adult could look at them, even if the sight of his face was rather comical.

The comedy had ended when Sephiroth had decided to share his past with them. The calm, collected youth told them everything: about growing up surrounded by scientists, of his parents who had conspired to turn him into the freak he considered himself to be. How his mother had surrendered herself and the unborn Sephiroth to be used as lab rats in a top-secret genetic experiment. He had kept a few of his abilities secret until then, but was able to resolve their disbelief at the details of his story, when he phased from right in front of them, to behind the tent that had been set up nearby.

They now listened quietly as he told them about the rigorous physical training that bordered on abuse, and the daily injections and tests that now made him averse to needles. Angeal had been shocked by Sephiroth's words, but he was even more stunned that he had managed to deliver the story so matter-of-factly. Most children their age would have fallen apart telling such a heart-breaking story, especially if it were their own. However, Sephiroth simply droned on, as if he had been sapped of energy. Indeed, he seemed to have spent it all while trying to beat the crap out of Genesis.

It wasn't until he had told them about the two other prisoners in the labs, whom he met when he was eight years old, that he showed any kid of emotion. He had not mentioned them by name, as if afraid to reveal their identities, but he spoke of them with great affection, finally cracking a smile.

He told them about the young mother whose husband, a scientist he had admired as a small child, had been murdered by his own bastard of a father. He mentioned the vents, which he had first spoken to the grieving widow from. He spoke about watching the woman's baby girl grow up, not even realizing she was a prisoner; and how he made sure that her childish antics didn't get her into too much trouble. He told them of the time he was put in isolation for a week, because he had broken the arm of a guard who had struck the little girl when she was only four. Her crime? Being restless while she waited for her mother to return from her tests, and having spilled a cup of water on the guard while she had been running around with it.

He told them about how he had managed to engineer their escape less than a year ago, but refused to elaborate on the details when Genesis had pressed him. Angeal knew that Genesis was hoping for a heroic tale, but Sephiroth had clammed up by that point. Only then, did the boy's eyes start to look just a little bit red.

They had believed him. It just didn't seem like their friend to make up such a story like that. Had Genesis been the one to tell that tale, then perhaps Angeal would have taken it with a very large grain of salt. He knew that his spunky and occasionally immature best friend often got just a little bit carried away.

That was the last time either Angeal or Genesis ever brought up SOLDIER again.

* * *

"Nagging him won't do any good," said Angeal as his thoughts returned to the present, "If Shinra is still seeking him out, he has every reason to worry about being spotted by them. It's not exactly as if he blends into a crowd."

"Mideel has grown quite small," Genesis groused, before opening the door and climbing into passenger seat.

Angeal sighed, taking his keys out of his pocket and opening the door before climbing inside. The truck bounced slightly as Sephiroth climbed into the rear. The truck roared to life as Angeal turned the keys in the ignition and drove off, leaving the steamy jungle behind.

"Hey," Genesis called out to Sephiroth through the window.

"What?" Sephiroth droned as he sat with his back to the rear window.

"I just don't wanna see you rotting in that damned temple," Genesis said, cracking a small smile, "We could be heroes, the three of us…Shinra be damned. Maybe we can join that resistance movement you mentioned."

Sephiroth heaved a sigh. "Heroes are over-rated," he said quietly.

Genesis tried to catch Angeal's eye, but the raven-haired young man kept his eyes on the road as he continued to drive to their next destination.

* * *

The Gaian temple was only a fifteen-minute drive away from the last delivery. Angeal pulled up to the gates and parked, allowing Sephiroth to jump out and approach the entrance. A monk on guard duty greeted him and opened the front gate, allowing him inside.

Angeal backed out onto the main road, driving the eight miles it took to get back to Banora. Neither he nor Genesis said anything until they finally entered the small house that the two had shared for the past five years.

"Let's see what we can make into dinner," Angeal muttered as he strolled into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door.

"This'll do for me," Genesis said as he grabbed a dumb-apple and a granola bar. He began to make his way toward the hallway leading to his bedroom.

"Genesis," Angeal called.

The redhead turned around, raising an eyebrow at his best friend.

"If you want to be a hero, you've got to have dreams, and _honor,_" Angeal said pointedly, "Show a little empathy for Sephiroth. He's still got demons."

Genesis looked at the floor. He then lifted his arm and rolled back his sleeve, and was alarmed to see blood still seeping through the bandage, hours after sustaining the wound. However, just as quickly as his shocked expression appeared, it vanished.

"That wound..." Angeal began.

"…Is just a scratch," Genesis said dismissively, "It'll heal. 'Nothing shall forestall my return…'."

He turned and headed inside his room, closing the door behind him.

"I'm bringing you to the doctor myself if it doesn't improve in the morning!" Angeal called out after him.

No response.

Angeal shrugged, and continued to rummage around for something to make dinner with.


	12. Chapter 1: Dreams Of The Morrow

Shout-outs:

badnephilim: Yep, Banora is on the west side of Mideel, I believe.

mistgun4: Yeah, he's an ass, but he's got hero potential. After all, he did refuse to help Deepground due to feeling remorse over his actions during the Genesis War. I think he'll be okay as long as he's kept away from Hollander and given more hope for the future.

Ardwynna Morrigu: Angeal puts up with a lot, but at least he'll be less likely to see himself as "the perfect monster", since he never joined SOLDIER. Therefore, he might not be so inclined to commit suicide-by-SOLDIER once he finds out the truth of his past. ;)

JazzQueen: Seph's not out of the woods yet. He might not be as vulnerable as he was in the original timeline, but Jenova still wants what she wants. :X

* * *

Chapter 1: Dreams Of The Morrow

The sun rose, bathing all of Cosmo Canyon in its morning light, revealing a curious sight for anyone who traveled within the canyon's limits. Nestled against a rocky plateau, was a large one-story concrete house, the land surrounding it wrapped in fertile green earth. Near the house, and surrounded by a brick wall, and then several feet of grass, was a small fountain that rose approximately 2-3 feet above the ground. It was almost like a small-scale replica of the Geomancer's Grotto in the labyrinth that made up the heart of the town.

No one knew exactly what had happened or how. The rock surrounding the house had broken down into soil over the years. The grass and flowers had been planted over ten years ago, and flourished despite the lack of rain. It was said that the Lifestream itself had blessed this particular geological anomaly, due to the presence of the last-known members of the Cetra race.

Every morning, the front door would open, and the man of the house would step out, but not before getting a kiss from his wife, who would then playfully shove him outside.

Half-an-hour later, two children- a boy and a girl- would run out, trailed by their older sister.

Finally, the wife would emerge with a small boy in her arms, and leave for the hospital.

Several hours later, the three school-aged children would return. Almost every day, they headed for the back yard, where they would kick off their shoes and play in the soft grass. Their parents and younger brother would arrive not long after that.

This particular Friday was no different from most other days. The oldest, seventeen-year-old Aerith Duran(her official surname for the past eleven years) sat in the shade that the house provided, sipping from a can of Carbuncle Cola, while keeping an eye on the ten-year-old twins. The boy, Cassius, was already in a grappling stance, trying to get his sister, Carlie, to engage him in a sparring match.

"But I'm thirsty!" the girl protested as she reached into the back of the solar-powered cooler for a drink.

"Take a gulp of whatever and then we'll do it," Cassius said, still in his crouched position, "Come on- you know our yard is way more comfy than any mat. Like matching on clouds."

"You're only gonna beat me again," Carlie protested as she opened a can of grape soda and took a few sips.

"Carlie," Aerith said disapprovingly, "If you go in with that kind of attitude, then of course he'll beat you!"

"Easy for you to say," Carlie sulked as she put the can on the ledge of a nearby window. "You beat even the largest students at the school."

"If you worked on your technique, you could too," said Aerith as she stretched out on her lawn chair. "You have the exact same body I did when I was ten. You can do it too."

"I'm not made for fighting," Carlie muttered as she got into the same stance as her brother.

"Funny, I used to think the same exact thing," Aerith mused, taking another sip of her soda. "If I hadn't ended up living here, I'd probably have kept thinking like that. Probably would've turned out to be a real wimp in battle too."

"I'm not a wimp!" Carlie protested angrily.

"I didn't say you were," Aerith said calmly, "Just that you- watch out!"

Cassius took advantage of his sister being distracted and went in for an easy tackle. The two siblings hit the ground and began rolling around, each of them trying to figure out a way to submit the other.

Just then, the sliding glass door opened, and three-year-old Gabe came running out, immediately knowing to keep his distance while the twins wrestled. He made a beeline for Aerith.

"Hi!" he said as he climbed into his eldest sister's lap.

"Hey there, little guy," Aerith said as she put her drink down on the small table next to her. "Did you play with the other kids at the hospital?"

It was an idea that Ifalna had years ago, when Aerith was little. She and Dr. Triton had noticed a pattern: people that came into contact with not just Ifalna, but Aerith as well, tended to make faster recoveries. The same pattern occurred with the twins, and with little Gabe. It was, after all, a way for Ifalna to keep working, and still be able to look after the kids. It also added extra consolation to have the kids where she could see them. Ifalna never stopped having nightmares about the Shinra snatching the children right out from under her.

"I play with Sherman," Gabe answered cheerfully, "Sherman got no hair."

Aerith nodded solemnly. Sherman was a little boy of four, with cancer.

"Sherman got wace car!" Gabe announced.

"_Race_ car!" Cassius corrected his little brother's speech. That allowed Carlie to fling her knee around his neck in a triangle-choke.

"What color was the race car?" Aerith asked.

"Gween!" Gabe answered. He held his hands about six inches apart. "Dis big!"

Aerith smiled. "And what else did you do?"

"Ate ice-kweem."

"Oh, the sea salt kind?" Aerith teased, knowing he disliked that flavor.

"Yucky!" Gabe exclaimed, "I wike chocolate!"

Aerith snickered and glanced at the twins, noticing that Carlie still had Cassius in the triangle-choke. To her horror, her brother's lips were turning blue as he struggled to get free. "Carlie, let him up!" she exclaimed.

"Why? He's not tapping out!" Carlie argued.

"He's turning blue!" Aerith pointed out, "Let him go!"

Dejectedly, Carlie obeyed. Cassius began gasping for air.

"I swear to Shiva, Cass- you're going to get yourself killed!" Aerith said as she put Gabe on the grass and went over to her brother. She ran her now glowing hand over his back, relaxing the spasms in his lungs and allowing him to breathe better.

"I could have beaten her!" the boy panted, "I just needed five seconds!"

"In five seconds, you would have been unconscious from lack of air," Aerith stated bluntly, "It's just a match. Surrendering won't kill you."

Carlie rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Can't you just admit for once that I finally beat you?"

Ifalna stepped out into the yard. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Cassius nearly passed out because he was too proud to surrender when Carlie got him in a choke," said Aerith, "I had to make Carlie let go."

"I still won," Carlie maintained.

"Did not!" Cassius argued.

"Stubborn and proud, just like your father," Ifalna groaned in frustration, knowing her husband also hated to admit defeat.

"Who's just like me?" Barnabas asked as he appeared in the doorway.

"Daddy!" Gabe shrieked as he ran over to his father.

"Hey, big guy," Barnabas scooped up his younger son and hugged him, "You been good today?"

"Uh-huh!" said Gabe.

"I finally beat Cass in a sparring match just now!" Carlie announced.

"I didn't surrender!" Cassius argued.

"You would have gone under if I hadn't let you go!" Carlie argued back.

"Hey, hey, hey- let's hold off the arguments until dinner, all right?" Barnabas interrupted the twins.

"I guess that's my cue," Aerith said as she stood up. It was her turn to cook dinner tonight.

"Don't burn anything," Cassius said, glib as always.

"I'm cooking pasta," Aerith said, glaring at her brother, "I'm not so hopeless as to burn pasta. I don't see you cooking dinner anytime soon." She then stalked inside.

"Teenagers…" Cassius said, shaking his head, "Am I right?"

"Don't you have homework to do?" his mother asked, annoyed.

Cassius sighed as he also went inside. "Sooo glad school ends next week…" he moaned.

"You too, champion fighter," Ifalna said to her younger daughter, ushering her inside.

"Wanna go inside too?" Barnabas asked Gabe.

"Yeah," the little boy answered.

"Alrighty then."

* * *

Dinner was always a couple of hours earlier than most families usually ate. This was so that Barnabas and the children had time to digest their food before they all went to train together at ANSMA under Terrato. Ifalna would stay at the house, now that even Gabe was taking part in the toddler tumbling class. She would sit in the back yard and beseech the planet for its wisdom. One might have called it meditation, but Ifalna knew it was so much more than that. Now that Aerith was getting older, she was beginning to understand as well. The teenager had her own time to pursue said wisdom, waking up earlier in the morning than the rest of her family to connect with the planet. Eventually, the other children would one day take part themselves, but for now, the planet saw fit to let them be, and enjoy the innocence of youth. There would be plenty of time to take part in their duty as Cetra.

Once Barnabas and the children arrived at home, everyone would power down. Gabe was the first to go to bed, and the twins would turn in an hour later. Then Ifalna and Barnabas would retire to their rooms. Aerith would often stay up to draw, paint, or read, and typically went to bed around midnight. Then she would get about six hours of sleep.

Tonight was no different, though as she got under the covers and made herself comfortable, she couldn't help but feel as if something was about to happen. However, sleep soon found her before she could give the matter further thought.

* * *

_Aerith looked around the void she had found herself in. There was nothing but darkness around her. She tried to move her arms and legs, but it was as if she no longer had a body._

_ She began to panic internally. Was she dead? How did she die? Had something taken her by surprise? Most importantly, where was the Lifestream?_

THE TIME DRAWS NEAR…

_"What's going on?!" she managed to ask, finding that she did still have a voice._

_ THE CALAMITY STIRS AGAIN. SHE DESIRES HER CHILDREN._

_ "Children?" Aerith would have scowled, had she a face. "Calamity…you mean Jenova, right? You don't have to worry about Sephiroth! He's a good man! My brothers and sister wouldn't exist if it wasn't for him!"_

_ THERE ARE MORE OF HIS KIND…THEY ARE COMING…_

_ "Are they good guys like Sephiroth?" Aerith asked, "Is this why we haven't heard from him lately?"_

_ INDEED…THERE IS TIME TO DETERMINE THE ANSWER TO THAT. BUT YOU ARE THE ONE WHO MUST ACT. I CANNOT. I MERELY SEE. I SEE MANY POSSIBILITIES…THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN POSSIBILITIES._

_ It was as if a large TV monitor had been turned on in front of her. Aerith watched as she saw a small boy with silver hair, glancing at a grate on the wall in front of him. Aerith realized to her astonishment, that the child was Sephiroth. She saw him pull the grate down and crawl inside. Then the scene changed, and she saw her much younger and sadder-looking mother embracing the child, while Aerith's infant self lay in a cradle nearby. She then saw thirteen-year-old Sephiroth driving the van that had gotten them out of Midgar so many years ago._

_ Then, the image disappeared. She saw the same beginning, only Sephiroth never pulled down the grate and walked into the wall. The image changed, and she saw her younger self crouched on the platform of a train station, tears running down her face as she pulled on someone's arm, begging them to get up. Then, as if a camera were panning back, her mother was revealed. She was deathly pale, and bleeding heavily from an open wound on her leg._

_ "What happened?!" Aerith cried out, horrified._

_ THAT WAS THE PATH NOT TAKEN. SEPHIROTH SAVED YOUR MOTHER'S LIFE. HAD THEY NOT MET, SHE WOULD HAVE FALLEN TEN YEARS AGO. BUT THE FUTURE IS NEVER SET IN STONE…_

_ Aerith cried out in horror more bodies appeared: men, women, children, animals, all piled up as mako crashed over them in waves. The scene faded to black._

_ When the darkness lifted again, it showed a girl around her age with very long, dark hair, dressed in a leather vest and matching skirt, with a white sleeveless shirt underneath. She lay on the ground barely breathing, staring in horror at a wide bloody gash across her chest. A young man with spiky black hair, wearing a Shinra SOLDIER uniform lay sprawled on the ground in the rain, his body riddled with bullets. The translucent image of another man from SOLDIER stood over the body. His back was turned so that Aerith couldn't see his face, but his arm stretched out toward the fallen young man, whose spirit rose up to meet the other._

_ "Do you think I became a hero?" the spiky-haired man asked hopefully._

_ Two young men and a young woman, all wearing red bandanas, looking up in horror as a huge platform of sorts came crashing down on them. Aerith tried to close her eyes in vain. She had no eyelids, after all._

_ THERE IS STILL TIME. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN...THE CETRA MUST NOT DISAPPEAR…I COULD NOT BEAR IT..._

_ The image shifted once more. A female figure in a pink dress and red bolero jacket sat slumped in the arms of another SOLDIER, this time with spiky blond hair. The young man's shoulders shook, as if he were sobbing._

_ "What about us?!" he shouted in anguish, "What are WE supposed to do?! What about…my pain…?!"_

_ He lifted his head, and Aerith could see a bloody stab wound on the young woman's stomach. The "camera" panned back, revealing the woman's face…_

_ Despite not having a body, Aerith could feel her blood growing cold as she realized the woman was her._

_ She was dead._

* * *

A bloodcurdling scream ripped Ifalna from her own troubled dreams. The first thing she felt was relief that she was awake, despite not remembering what it was she had dreamt of. The second thing she felt was panic as she realized the scream was coming from Aerith's room. Immediately, she jumped out of bed and bolted out of the bedroom, nearly tripping and falling as she dashed down the hallway, and flung her daughter's bedroom door open.

Aerith lay in her bed, the covers being tossed about as her arms and legs thrashed about violently. Tears ran down her face as she continued to scream bloody murder.

"Sweetheart, wake up!" Ifalna shouted as she hurried over to her eldest child, staying clear of her legs so as not to get kicked. She reached out and gripped Aerith's shoulders firmly and began to shake her awake.

Aerith's eyes popped open, and she tried to sit up, except Ifalna held her down. She lay there, panting, as her eyes darted around the room.

"It's okay, Aerith..." Ifalna said quietly as she relaxed her grip, "You're awake now."

"Mom...!" Aerith sat up and flung her arms around her mother, sobbing loudly.

"Just a dream, honey," Ifalna reassured her, rubbing her daughter's back, "It was just a dream…"

"It wasn't just a dream…!" Aerith cried, "It was trying to warn me! It showed me all these bodies and said I couldn't let it happen! It said the Cetra couldn't disappear…but…!"

"Hush now…" Ifalna soothed her.

"But Mom, the Cetra _are_ going to disappear!" Aerith hiccupped, "There's only five of us left! Eventually, our kind will be bred out of existence!"

"I know they will," Ifalna acknowledged as she still held her trembling daughter tightly, "Millions of years ago, enormous lizards roamed the planet's surface. It's a sad thought, Aerith, but their time came and they disappeared. Sadly, it looks like _our_ time has come. And one day, that time will come for the humans as well. But you and I will still live long, full lives, and so will your sister and brothers."

"No, I'm going to die young," Aerith wept, "I saw it…the planet itself told me that it could happen. I was wearing a pink dress, and I wasn't an old woman…I was young! Maybe a few years older, but still! How am I supposed to do all the things I dreamed of doing if I die so young?!"

"Aerith, stop it," Ifalna said firmly as she let go of her daughter. She took Aerith's face in her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "Panicking will do you absolutely no good. What did I always used to tell you when you were little and we were both…?" she trailed off, purposely not finishing the sentence.

"Prisoners of the Shinra," Aerith finished it for her.

"Shh!" Ifalna put a finger to her lips and lowered her voice to barely a whisper: "You were screaming loud enough to wake the dead, and I don't want the twins to overhear if they're awake. They're not ready to hear about that yet."

Indeed, the twins knew nothing about their mother and half-sister's life in captivity. Neither of them had bothered to even ask how their parents had met. They knew that Aerith had a different father than they did, and that he had been killed when Aerith was just a baby. When they had asked how, Ifalna refused to answer, saying that she would tell them the story when they were older. While she had stated seventeen years ago that she wanted her daughter to grow up tough, her stance had altered slightly since then. She was glad that her children were all training to fight(even little Gabe was learning how to tumble and roll), and that they were well-adjusted and independent. However, she often wondered how much Aerith remembered from that terrible time period, and how it affected her. The teenager was in many ways, her mother's daughter- not just in her special abilities, but in other ways. She didn't allow people to see her vulnerable side anymore than Ifalna did. There was one exception, however. Ifalna had let down her walls for Barnabas, and hoped that her daughter could one day find someone she felt comfortable doing the same with.

"I told you to never, _ever_ give up," Ifalna reminded Aerith, who had finally started to calm down.

"Yeah…" Aerith mumbled.

"Come on," Ifalna said, standing up and taking her daughter's hand, "Let's sit in the kitchen and talk about this. That way if anyone comes, we'll be able to hear them."

Aerith hesitated.

"Come on," her mother reassured her, "I know I always feel better after a nightmare when I can talk about them."

Aerith got out of bed and looked at her mother, managing a small smile. "You mean with Daddy?"

Ifalna nodded, smiling herself. "Yes. Let's go now."

She took her hand and left the room with Aerith in tow.

* * *

"…And then, I saw myself, two dead SOLDIERs, and a girl my age who was dying. Three other young people wearing red bandanas got crushed by…something. There was a guy with blond hair holding me. He was crying…like his heart was broken…"

Ifalna set down the cup of tea she had been sipping from and reached across the kitchen table, taking her daughter's hand and squeezing it reassuringly. Aerith smiled.

"I wonder though…" she continued, her eyes twinkling good-naturedly, "Do you think that means he loved me? Maybe I finally get a boyfriend."

"Ugh…" Ifalna groaned quietly, "You're so flighty sometimes. You really _are _your father's daughter."

"I'm just trying to cheer myself up," Aerith defended herself as her smile vanished, "I'm scared, Mom. The thing about there being others like Sephiroth…is it possible?"

"For others to be constructed the way Sephiroth was?" Ifalna asked, "Absolutely. Your father explained it to me as best as a layperson like me could understand. The mother, and the fetus were both injected with Jenova cells. The result: a very strong and powerful child. And there's plenty of Jenova cells to go around from how your father described it.

"Even if such a child didn't fall under Jenova's influence, they could be trouble if they're not mature enough to handle that kind of strength…" She paused and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe…that's what we're trying to avoid? These people, perhaps they need to be found, before something catastrophic happens?"

Aerith nodded. "It would make sense if the Shinra kept the existence of any others a secret from Sephiroth. Could you imagine the kind of trouble that would have caused them if there were others? And if they all decided to escape with us?"

"It might even explain why the Shinra decided to cut their losses after we got away," Ifalna realized, "They could have had a back-up plan all along."

"What does this mean?" Aerith asked. She then began to look frightened again. "I don't want to die…"

"I won't let that happen," Ifalna said fiercely, "And clearly, the planet doesn't want that happening either. That's why it's warning you. And I think it was trying to warn me too."

"What do you mean?" Aerith asked as she picked up her own cup of tea and began to drink it.

"I woke up from a bad dream as well," said Ifalna, "But the problem is, I can't remember what it was…only that I was glad to be woken up from it."

"You can't remember…" Aerith couldn't help but snicker.

"Yes, yes," Ifalna sighed impatiently, "Story of my life."

She picked up her tea and continued to drink.

"Maybe you will remember," said Aerith.

"The planet told me I would remember," Ifalna recalled, "Years ago, when we first settled here it said that the key to my memories would come in time. But first, I needed to heal. I _have_ healed, Aerith. I'd like to think I've come a long way…" she trailed off.

"We never talk about that time…" Aerith remarked.

"…No, we don't," her mother acknowledged, "Not since you finally understood the differences between life in captivity, and life in freedom."

"They hurt you a lot more than they hurt me…" Aerith whispered, her voice pained, "…didn't they?"

"You have no idea…" Ifalna whispered back, shaking her head.

"What gave them the right?" Aerith asked, her voice suddenly angry.

"I can't answer that question," Ifalna told her sadly, "Please…don't let yourself get angry. It's all water under the bridge."

"I _am_ angry," said Aerith, "But Daddy always says there's two kinds of anger: the kind that'll destroy you in the end, and the kind that makes you want to take a stand, and make a change. And that's exactly what I'm feeling."

"Does that mean you accept the planet's mission, however vague it may be?" Ifalna asked.

"Do you think I can really save those people?" Aerith asked, looking small and vulnerable.

Ifalna fought the urge to take her little girl in her arms and not let any harm whatsoever come to her. She knew that such thoughts were foolish. She could not protect her children from everything, as disheartening as that fact was. Instead, she looked at her daughter, and spoke firmly:

"The planet chose you. Clearly, it has faith in you. I have faith in you too. After all, you and I go back a long way: seventeen years. I'd like to think I know you pretty well."

A small smile appeared on Aerith's face. Encouraged, her mother continued:

"You're scared. I understand that. But the planet wouldn't entrust you to stop this impending disaster if it didn't think you could. So the first thing you need to do is believe in yourself. After that, well, you'll just have to do your absolute best."

Aerith stared at her cup of tea. "I accept the mission, then," she said solemnly, "I can't change the past. My biological father is still dead. Shinra still hurt us…but they haven't beaten us. I get the feeling that this thing may very well mean I'll be crossing paths with them again. There were a few members of SOLDIER involved in my dream, after all. But…I don't think they were the bad guys. It seems like the planet wanted me to save them, whether it be from death, or grief."

Ifalna's hands clenched into fists. The idea of her daughter encountering the Shinra again was not a thought she relished in. The thought of her falling into their clutches and going through the same torture that Ifalna herself went through…what kind of twisted experiments would Hojo try and subject Aerith to now that she was older? What was more, Hojo was a spiteful man. What would he do, just to get back at her for having escaped?

"Relax, Mom," Aerith's voice broke her out of her dark thoughts. Clearly she sensed Ifalna's anxiety. "I haven't left yet. I still don't think I've gotten any official go-ahead from the planet. I've got time to figure all of this out."

"You seem to have recovered from your dream, then." Ifalna sounded relieved.

"Sometimes, a girl just needs to talk things over with her mom," Aerith stated, her cheery disposition having returned. She lifted her cup and finished her tea. Her mother did the same.

"All right," said Ifalna as she stood up and picked up the two empty cups, "We've talked it out, and now we've got tea in our systems to help calm us both down. It's quarter-of-four, and we should go back to sleep. It's a wonder your dad hasn't woken up and come looking for me. He must have had a really busy day."

She put the cups in the sink, and turned around, only to see Aerith throw her arms around her.

"Thanks, Mom…" Aerith whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," Ifalna whispered back as she kissed the side of Aerith's forehead and patted her back. She stepped back. "Let's try to get some rest now…"

* * *

"Why is everyone so quiet today?" Barnabas asked as the family sat at the table, eating breakfast.

"Rough night," Cassius muttered. Carlie nodded in agreement.

Ifalna looked at the twins, concerned. Even the twins had suffered a bad night's sleep?

"Daddy, I had a bad dweam," Gabe whined.

Ifalna stared at her little boy, stunned now. Had everyone had nightmares last night? What did this all mean?

"What was it about?" Barnabas asked.

Gabe shrugged.

"Did you forget what it was about?" Ifalna asked.

The toddler nodded.

"And that's why you're so tired, huh?" Barnabas remarked as he ran his hand over his son's wild brown hair.

Gabe nodded again.

"Well, that's okay," he said, "Your mama's not working today, so you can take a nap and catch up on your-,"

"No nap!" Gabe shouted, afraid, "No bad dweam!"

Ifalna shot her husband a "What were you thinking?" look. The boy hated settling down for a nap as it was, let alone that he would now be afraid of encountering the same bad dream from the night before.

"Ah, right," Barnabas said, feeling stupid, "I meant to say, you can go lie down in the back yard and listen to the special people singing to you."

The "special people" he referred to was actually the Lifestream. Not only did Ifalna hear the voices of the Lifestream, but all four of the children could hear them. All Barnabas could understand of it was that it had an almost musical quality to it, as if it were a song, and that it had the ability to lull his youngest child to sleep.

"Speaking of singing…" Carlie said as she stood up, carrying her empty dish and cup to the sink, "I'm gonna go practice at the rec center."

"Oh, would you mind getting the mail?" Ifalna asked.

Carlie went to the front door and opened it. She reached inside the mail holder outside and grabbed the few envelopes that were inside.

"Nothing from Mideel," she announced as she handed the letters to her mother.

Aerith frowned. It had been two weeks since they had sent out their last letters to Sephiroth. For twelve years, she and Ifalna wrote Sephiroth religiously, and he had written back just as frequently. This was not like him at all. Did it possibly have something to do with her vision?

Ifalna saw the worried look in Aerith's eyes. "I'm sure it's nothing," she said.

Aerith stood up. "I'm going to the library," she announced, "I'll run a search on Mideel and the temple in case anything's happened."  
"If anything really bad had happened, we would have felt it," said Ifalna, "You know that."

"Yeah, I know," Aerith sighed as she put her dishes in the sink, "It's just…I don't know. It's bad enough he's busy with his monster-hunting and his friend's juice business, and it's even worse that I wasn't around during his last visit here. At least the letters were regular."

Ifalna nodded. "Keep me posted," she said.

"Wait up, Carlie," Aerith said to her sister, "I'll walk with you part of the way."

The younger girl nodded and waited for Aerith to get her things together. Finally, they walked out of the house together.

* * *

Aerith and Carlie walked down the rocky terrain together silently, basking in the cool morning air. They knew that in only a few hours, the sun would become uncomfortably hot. The tunnel system was not only a shortcut to get from one place to another. It was how the residents of Cosmo Canyon stayed cool.

Carlie reached into her pocket and pulled out a hair-tie, pulling her long, wavy hair back. It was almost identical to Aerith's own wavy locks, but lighter in color. Both she and Cassius had inherited their father's honey-blond hair color. The fact was, the twins had been nearly identical when they were babies. For a time, they were nearly inseparable. Pre-adolescence had changed them. While Cassius had always been his father's son, and loved weapons and fighting, Carlie was more interested in music, and loved to sing and play the ocarina. Her more recent passion was practicing the piano that the rec center had.

Aerith could relate somewhat. Her own love for drawing and coloring had blossomed over the years, and evolved into painting and charcoals. The walls of her bedroom were decorated with pictures of Cosmo Canyon's gorgeous landscapes. Indeed, the land served as her own personal inspiration, and her mother always encouraged her talents. Aerith knew that some parents(especially those in Midgar who could barely support themselves, let alone the arts) did not consider artistic endeavors to be "practical", and would discourage their children from such pursuits. She was grateful that her mother and stepfather were not those kinds of parents.

She remembered how her mother had told her once, how pleased her father…her biological father; would have been with her talents. She had wished desperately that she had a picture of him to copy. Her wish had been granted when she was twelve, and the library had finally gotten Worldwide Network access. Doing a search, she found a picture of him on an archaeological dig, when he was still an intern in his early-20's. It was probably the one that yielded the frozen body of Jenova.

To her utter disgust, he was standing right next to a younger-looking Professor Hojo…the "mean man" from Aerith's early childhood. She could still remember with satisfaction the day that he had ordered her mother to be put in the mako tank, when Aerith had grabbed his hand and bitten down as hard as she could. She remembered her mother telling her when she was even smaller to use her teeth if _anyone_ were to ever try to hurt her…or do anything to her that felt uncomfortable.

It was years later, when the boys in tow had started to notice Aerith's changing body(along with all of the other girls), that she finally understood what her mother had meant by that last part. She had put one fresh youngster who had tried to kiss in a painful armbar, which had made her stepfather proud as a peacock. That understanding, however, had not only made the then-fifteen-year-old physically ill, but also thankful that she had escaped that hellhole.

Suddenly, she grabbed Carlie and pulled the younger girl into a tight hug, thankful that she would have a much more innocent childhood.

"Uh…" Her sister looked utterly confused. "You okay?"

"Just having a little too much time to think," Aerith murmured. She then let Carlie go.

Carlie stared at her half-sister. She knew Aerith had been through something bad when she was little. Neither she nor Cassius knew the details, but they knew it involved their old family friend Sephiroth. When they had asked their mother for details, she shook her head no and told them she would explain when they were older.

"Is this about whatever happened before I was born?" Carlie asked.

"Let's talk about happy things," Aerith suggested with a smile.

"Are you _ever_ gonna tell me what happened before Mom and Dad got married?" Carlie asked, clearly annoyed, "Before Daddy adopted you?"

Aerith frowned. "That's up to Mom," she answered.

"That guy with the sunglasses..." said Carlie, "…the same ones you wear. You don't let anyone try them on. You have a drawing of that guy framed on the shelf above your bed. I'm not stupid, Aerith. He's your real father…isn't he?"

Aerith had stopped walking as she raised her hand to her face, softly touching the side of her shades. "You figured that out, huh?" she said softly.

"Mom doesn't think I'm ready to know the details," Carlie told her. Aerith could see the frustration in her normally warm brown eyes.

"Mom will kill me if I have that conversation with you instead of her," said Aerith, "And I think she wants to have it with both you and Cassius when the time comes. What does he know about any of this?"

Carlie shook her head. "Nothing. You know him. He's dense about anything that doesn't have to do with martial arts. Deneh always says that girls mature faster than boys, and it's true- whether you're human, Cetra, or a fire-cat."

"I'll talk to Mom about it," Aerith promised her, "Now can we please talk about something pleasant?"

"_You're_ the one who started acting weird," Carlie pointed out as she walked into the walkway. Aerith followed her.

"How's the practicing going?" Aerith asked, "You're going to sing at the solstice celebration, right? What song did you pick?"

Despite being annoyed with her sister for changing the subject, Carlie couldn't help the mischievous look in her eyes. "That's a secret," she said, smirking.

"Have I at least heard the song before?" Aerith asked.

Carlie shrugged. "How am I supposed to know which songs you've heard and haven't heard? Mom always said the Cetra aren't mind-readers."

The two girls stopped at the back door to Cosmo Canyon's recreational center.

"Have fun," Aerith said as she waved goodbye to her little sister.

Carlie nodded. "I hope everything turns out to be fine. Maybe there's a hiccup in the postal system and you'll get _two _letters on Monday."

Aerith smiled. "Thanks, kiddo."

Carlie smiled back as she opened the door and walked inside.

Aerith continued walking for ten more minutes until she finally arrived at the large underground cavern that housed Cosmo Canyon's massive library. She stepped inside and then looked around. Thanks to the people preparing for the summer solstice festival, the place was nearly empty. The only people who were already there were the librarian, and a familiar-looking young woman wearing a tattered grey cloak over a green and purple outfit. She sat hunched over a large book, her brow furrowed as she was clearly engrossed by whatever she was reading. When Aerith made her way over to her, she glanced up and smiled in greeting.

"Hi, Elfé," Aerith said as she sat down at a nearby terminal and activated the search engine.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked, noting the worried look on Aerith's face.

"Sephiroth hasn't written to us in a while," Aerith told her.

Elfé looked surprised. "Really? I thought you all wrote each other like clockwork."

"We do," said Aerith, "That's why I'm worried. I know Mideel's prone to hurricanes, so I'm checking the news to see if anything like that has happened. At least, that's what happened the last time we didn't receive letters from him. A big storm wiped out half of the outgoing mail."

"Hurricanes are usually at the top of the news feed," Elfé remarked, "and I just finished checking the news a few minutes ago."

Elfé stood and watched as Aerith opened up the search engine and entered "Gaian Temple".

"I've started thinking about maybe joining Avalanche," the demi-Cetra announced. She glanced up at Elfé to see her friend's reaction. To her surprise, the swordswoman was smiling, as if amused.

"That ought to make for an interesting family discussion during dinner once Master Barnabas finds out," she quipped.

"I know my dad's going to be against it," Aerith acknowledged, "He's happy to have the family under Avalanche's protection, but I don't think he counted on any of his kids actually joining."

"Oh, you're damn right he's going to be against it," said Elfé, "No one that takes part in something dangerous like that ever wants their children to follow in their footsteps. Usually, they do what they do so that their children have safer options. Doesn't matter that you two aren't actually related. Family is family."

"What about Master Terrato?" Aerith asked as she turned away from the computer and looked at her friend, "Isn't he like a father to you? You aren't just in Avalanche- you help him run it."

"Do you see him sending me over to Wutai with the majority of the active fighters?" Elfé pointed out, "No. I help him with the organizing and logistical aspects. Sometimes I also relay sensitive information that can only be given in person. Over his dead body would he see me actually going into battle, even if I still had the power of that materia giving me strength."

"Do you ever miss that?" Aerith asked, "The power."

Elfé shook her head vehemently. "No. I was sleep-walking through life with that thing in my body. I've been told I had no personality during that time. That's not exactly going to get a person anywhere in life. Look at you- everyone loves you. Even without the materia, I'll never have your charisma."

Aerith blushed at the compliment and shook her head. "That's not exactly true. I've been told to my face by some people, that my 'sunny personality' makes them sick."

Elfé shrugged indifferently. "Okay, so maybe a few assholes don't like you. Whatever. You'd still be good for the group's morale."

"What, like a cheerleader?" Aerith laughed. She then turned back to the computer and began checking the search results.

* * *

"You're absolutely sure?" Barnabas asked, staring at his wife, "It was _the planet itself_ that warned Aerith?"

They stood in the kitchen, discussing what had happened last night. Cassius had gone to play with a friend, and Gabe was playing in the living room.

"The last time the planet sent me a warning…" Ifalna paused and heaved a sigh, "…it was only a few days before my life became a living hell. I know what the planet's warnings are like. Now Aerith does, as well."

Barnabas closed his eyes, a pained expression on his face. After eleven years of marriage, he knew all of the details: the death of Ifalna's first husband, the five years of captivity, and all of the abuse she had suffered at the hands of Shinra's many scientists, soldiers and other employees.

"For twelve years, it's been wonderful…" Ifalna said as she rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "I've been free to do whatever I wanted. I met you, and we started a family. I watched my oldest child grow accustomed to the world, and now she embraces it. She's even been able to travel outside of the canyon, even though I worried about her every day. I see my other three children enjoying life the way the should be allowed to, and I'm thankful that Aerith was never permanently damaged by the first five years of her life…not the way Sephiroth was. Even he seems much better. But now…I can't help but wonder if he has anything to do with this shared nightmare my children and I had last night."

"I won't let anything happen to you, or our kids," Barnabas promised as he took his wife's hand and pressed his lips to it.

"That's what-," Ifalna began.

"I know that's what your first husband said the day he was killed," Barnabas interrupted, "But it's not just me. You've got Avalanche looking out for you, and the rest of our family. Hell- the entire canyon. We haven't forgotten, or forgiven them taking Shuroya and Kimu. It _will_ take a war for them to get their hands on you, our kids, or anyone else here. We'll see it coming, if Shinra tries anything. I'll get us out of here long before they get to you. You've lost one husband…I promise you won't lose me."

Ifalna abruptly took her husband's face in her hands, and kissed him fiercely as she forced back tears.

"Well!" Barnabas chuckled as soon as they broke the kiss, "Someone's a little tiger, huh?"

Ifalna then poked the man's nose with her finger playfully.

"Over twelve hours until it's safe to continue…" Barnabas lamented, looking at the clock. Four kids made daytime romps impossible between the two of them, especially with a three-year-old that was always at home with them.

As if to prove his point, Gabe walked into the room and smiled at his parents, completely unaware of the sexual tension between them.

"We could always nail his pants to the roof and use him as a weathervane while we…" Barnabas joked, trailing off suggestively.

"Oh- you…!" Ifalna burst out laughing and lightly shoved him away.

"Seriously, Gabe," Barnabas said as he picked his son up, "We gotta find you some play-dates. Then we all win. You get to play, your little friend gets to play, Mommy and Daddy get to play…"

He reached with his free hand, trying to grab his wife's behind, at an angle from which Gabe could not see. She shrieked and slapped his hand away, but she didn't stop smiling.

"Silly," Gabe said as he pointed at both of his parents.

"And what's wrong with that?" Barnabas asked as he bared his teeth, playfully biting at his son's nose.

"No, Daddy!" Gabe said, squirming and turning his head away.

"No, where's that nose?" Barnabas asked with mock-sternness, "I want that nose!"

Gabe giggled loudly as he flailed his arms, keeping his father from biting at his face. Ifalna smiled, her worries put aside for the time being.

* * *

"He's a tough guy," Elfé said reassuringly, "I'm sure nothing bad has happened to him."

Aerith didn't respond.

The two of them sat in the Geomancer's Grotto. Aerith had become disheartened upon not finding any leads. While Elfé had pointed out that no news was good news, not knowing anything was clearly getting to the demi-Cetra.

"Does the temple have a telephone you can call?" Elfé asked.

"I don't know," said Aerith, "They don't try to live in total seclusion like other monasteries, so it's possible. We never communicated by phone, though. My dad's the only one of us that has a phone, and that's for Avalanche business. I don't even know if Seph has a phone himself. It would make sense considering the work he does. I was at the Gold Saucer on that stupid class field trip last year when he made that surprise visit to sell that apple juice…"

"Don't start ranting about that again," Elfé groaned, "You drove everyone crazy with your griping when you missed out on seeing him."

"He means a lot to me!" Aerith argued, "And what's worse is that I haven't seen him since I was thirteen! I miss him, and I just want to know that he's okay!"

"Relax," Elfé said as she put an arm around the younger girl's shoulder, "Look- why don't we go back to the library, and find out if you can call Sephiroth. It's worth a shot, right?"

Aerith hesitated, and then nodded.

"Okay," the older girl said as she stood up, "Let's go, then."

Aerith stood up, and followed Elfé out of the grotto.

* * *

Barnabas gently closed the door to Gabe's room, and then silent made his way over to Ifalna, who stood at the end of the hallway.

"He's fast asleep," he informed her quietly.

"Your playtime sessions really wear him out," Ifalna remarked, impressed.

"Wear _him_ out?" Barnabas scratched his head thoughtfully, "I have to wonder…sometimes it's the other way around. Didn't used to be like that, but I guess I'm getting old."

"How are things in Wutai?" Ifalna asked suddenly.

"Promising," Barnabas answered, "I think the tides are turning in our favor, but who knows what Shinra might have up their sleeve? For all we know, that could be part of what Aerith was being warned about."

"It really could be anything," Ifalna sadly agreed. She looked at the floor, and back at her husband again. "Barnabas…if Wutai wins the war, what's to stop the Shinra from coming after Cosmo Canyon? We're a melting pot of very special people, and if they could get the tools they needed to drill through Nibelheim's rocky terrain and build a reactor there…they could do it here, and look for 'specimens' for the lab." There was fear in her eyes now as she added: "They would certainly find them here."

"No," Barnabas corrected her, "They'd be too weak after losing a war; both the army and the company itself. Not to mention they'd have a lot less public support. Shinra gets away with what they do by pretending to be a democracy and convincing the people that they _want_ what they're forcing on them. They can't be openly fascist without risking a riot. The people in the slums may not have fancy weapons, but there's a LOT of them living there. It'd be a giant pain in the ass to stop such a riot. Shinra are a bunch of lying shmucks, but they're not stupid."

"Okay." Ifalna was comforted by her husband's reasoning.

"Still," Barnabas looked thoughtful, "What's going to happen next? I mean, with Aerith and this 'holy mission'. You're right about what you said earlier- that Aerith crossing paths with the Shinra…god, that gives me the creeps."

"It's inevitable," Ifalna pointed out, "The Jenova Project has Shinra permanently linked with the 'Calamity from the skies'."

The two were silent for a moment. Then, Barnabas spoke again:

"We don't know when the planet will speak with Aerith next. It may be a while before she has to set off anywhere. I'll do what I can, but maybe…" Barnabas hesitated, and then continued: "Maybe we should have Aerith start spending time with some of Avalanche's members. They can start explaining things to her…and help train her."

Ifalna laughed. "What makes you think she hasn't already started doing that on her own already?"

"Touche," Barnabas acknowledged, "I'll bring it up at today's meeting."

* * *

"At least he's not hurt…" Elfé said hopefully.

Aerith nodded as she stared at the fountain in front of her. The two of them were back in the Geomancer's Grotto.

Elfé had allowed Aerith to use her own PHS to contact the monastery, where she ended up playing phone tag for the rest of the afternoon. The older girl hadn't minded spending the day with Aerith as they waited. They killed time by sparring: both empty-handed and with weapons. Elfé's sword still beat out Aerith's staff, but the two young women were becoming more close-matched. When they weren't doing that, they talked, or rather, Aerith did most of the talking. Elfé was never one to take the lead in any conversation.

Finally, only a few minutes ago, the Grand Abbot had called Elfé's phone, and had spoken with Aerith. He had explained to her that Sephiroth had taken a sudden leave of absence last week. This was after bringing his friend Genesis to see the healers of the temple. The young man in question had grown sick, and ordinary doctors were unable to find the cause, much less a cure. Sephiroth had filled out the necessary paperwork, packed a few things, and left with his friend.

"I think I have an idea of where they might be," said Aerith.

"Where?" Elfé asked.

Aerith turned and smiled at the older girl. "When no one was able to find out what was making you sick all those years ago, who was it that figured out in less than a day what was wrong with you? Who saved Master Terrato when he had that heart attack three years ago?"

Elfé smiled knowingly as it dawned on her. "Of course…"

Aerith's smile brightened. "I'll bet anything he's coming here, Elfé. After four years, I'll finally get to see Sephiroth. And this time, it won't just be my mother who helps his friend. I'm going to do everything in my power as well to help. After all…I owe Seph more than one could imagine."

Her mind flashed back to the image of her mother dying on the train platform…the one image she could not bring herself to tell Ifalna about.

"Four years…" Elfé mused, "What will you do when you see him?"

Aerith shook her head. "Hard to say."

"Well…" Elfé said as she stood up, "I'll leave you to think about it. I have matters to discuss with Master Terrato, and probably Master Barnabas."

"Will you put in a good word for me?" Aerith asked.

"I'll do what I can," Elfé answered, "But it'll be difficult to convince him to be okay with it. And Avalanche is an organization that can't afford to have disagreements within its ranks. But I'll give it a shot."

"Thanks, Elfé," Aerith said with a smile, "It's all I ask."

Elfé nodded as she left.

Aerith continued to sit and stare off into space, and occupy her thoughts with a certain silver-haired swordsman in monk garb.

* * *

A/N: If any players of "Before Crisis" find Elfé to be OOC, this is the personality I imagined she'd have without the Zirconiade materia draining her of her strength.

She was barely able to keep it together with her sickness, and her personality seemed to suffer the most. When she regressed upon gaining her memories, it seemed clear that her younger self did have a personality once. Plus, thanks to Ifalna not having died, she was able to keep Master Terrato alive as well. Therefore, Elfé does not have the burden of being Avalanche's leader. Even if Terrato was gone, Barnabas would probably have been put in charge instead, since Elfé isn't as strong as she was in canon.

Plus, being friends with Aerith would soften anyone's heart a bit. Just look at Seph. ;) Speaking of whom, we'll get to him fairly soon.


	13. Chapter 2: Infinite In Mystery

A/N: Get ready for some serious UST(unresolved sexual tension) between Aerith and Sephiroth, starting toward the end of this chapter.

Shout-outs:

Sephiroth Crescent-Valentine: Of course he'll be! Just not a SOLDIER.

Greatazuredragon: I've only seen(and enjoyed) one other "What if Ifalna had lived?" story(as opposed to the dozens of "What if Zack had lived?" stories that only tripled after Crisis Core came out). I'm glad you're liking the direction. If the ghost of a half-Cetra can cure an entire planet of a plague(Geostigma), think of what a living purebred Cetra could do for Genesis. It'll add some interesting interpretations to "Loveless", I'm sure. ;)

mistgun4: Ifalna will have some very interesting things to report once she gets a look at Genesis.

badnephilim: I never got to play it either, but Youtube has playthroughs of the game.

Ardwynna Morrigu: They've got a lot of catching up to do, given how much Aerith has grown up. ;)

faunalind: Yeah, it needs all the help it can get, even from a cute little three-year-old.

catxangel: It's getting a little harder to write each chapter given how much research goes into the games. Once upon a time, you only needed to know FF7 inside and out to write a good story. In my case, it's the two prequels and FF7. Although when the time comes, Dirge will be important too. I can't see how this timeline would eliminate Deepground, especially since Shinra would need them more. No Sephiroth, no Angeal, and no Genesis, means no super-powered forces of nature. Alas, I've only got so much spare time before my layoff from work ends.

JazzQueen: I figure without Sephiroth or our Banora duo, Wutai would be more evenly-matched in a war. They were able to put up a good fight for years in canon as it was. With the Jenova Project being an utter failure, things might not look so good for the Shinra. However, it may be a while before they really try to pull out all the stops.

* * *

Chapter 2: Infinite In Mystery

"I'm pretty sure that this kind of travel isn't conducive to my already fragile health," Genesis complained after Angeal's truck lurched upwards and immediately back down, after rolling over what seemed to be the umpteenth rock. He shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat.

"_I'm_ pretty sure it's not conducive to my truck's already fragile health either," Angeal said with a grimace as he tried to steer the vehicle carefully through the rough terrain, "Seph- how much further do you think it'll be before we arrive?"

"We'll probably arrive sometime tomorrow," Sephiroth answered, "Either morning or early afternoon, barring any mechanical emergencies. Then we'll have to run very fast, after we figure out who _isn't_ going to carry Genesis on their back."

"I love you too, Sephiroth," Genesis said sarcastically, "I really hope this lady-friend of yours knows what she's doing. I can't tell you how disappointing it'll be if we came all the way out here for nothing."

"I believe in her," Sephiroth said, not for the first time.

"We've been your best friends for the past twelve years and only last week do you tell us the truth about your friends," Genesis griped.

"At least he's trying to help," Angeal defended Sephiroth. "Although, I'm curious as to why you didn't contact them about Genesis before we left. What if they're away on some family vacation?"

"They don't go on vacations," Sephiroth told him, "They'll be home. I also try to be careful about what I write in my letters. If anything, I'm even more wary about Shinra spying on the postal system than I was when I was younger. But I still trust 'snail mail' more than the Worldwide Network in any case."

"Yes, I suppose I can see how 'Dear last living Ancients: please save my friend from a mystery illness that Shinra would love to poke and prod at' would be a bit risky," Genesis quipped.

The past two months had been terrible, to say the least. Genesis' wound from the trio's sparring match in the jungle had never healed. What was worse was that there was now infections happening in the afflicted area. Doctors had not been able to diagnose the problem. The monks had not been able to figure out what was wrong either.

It wasn't until a bit of premature grey began to appear at his temples along with the recent pallor of his skin, that Sephiroth told them the truth about the friends he wrote to constantly, and would visit every couple years or so. He applied for, and was granted, a leave of absence from the temple. Genesis' parents, also worried for their son, financed not only a boat trip, but paid for Angeal's truck to be stored on the ship that took them all the way to the western continent. They might have bought a brand-new vehicle for the young men to drive around in, had anyone been aware of just how delicate Angeal's truck had turned out to be.

"Hey, Seph," Genesis turned to look through the rear window.

"Hmm?"

"What's in the bag?"

Sephiroth smiled as he placed his hand on the burlap sack in his lap. "Presents."

"For me? Aw, you shouldn't have," Genesis chuckled.

"Glad to see you still have a sense of humor," Sephiroth quipped. "I doubt you have any use for a wooden ocarina, Earth materia, a pair of nunchucks, a stuffed chocobo, and a case of Banora White Liqueur."

"I beg to differ on that last item," Genesis remarked.

Sephiroth ignored him and slid down, lying flat on his back while Angeal continued to drive. A few minutes later, he felt the vehicle slow down.

"What's going on?" he asked as he sat up and tried to look through the rear window. The glare of the sunlight against the windshield prevented him from seeing what was ahead of them.

"SOLDIER," Angeal said, "Looks like a checkpoint. What should we do?"

"Keep driving," Sephiroth told him, "It'll only look suspicious if we turn around."

"I guess it's a good thing you went through with that dye-job," Genesis commented with a wry smile.

"That's the idea," Sephiroth said as he ran his hand through his temporarily jet-black hair. "This washes out after a few showers."

Angeal pulled up to the checkpoint.

"Good morning," he said amiably.

"Driver's license and registration, please," a 1st Class soldier said.

Genesis reached into the glove compartment and pulled out Angeal's registration paper, handing it to Angeal, who took out his wallet and pulled out his license. He then handed both documents to the young man outside, who ran them through a hand-held verification scanner.

He nodded. "Checks out. Now get out while we search the vehicle."

"You've got to be kidding…" Genesis complained as he and the others exited the vehicle.

"Don't mind our friend," Angeal said as he guided Genesis away from the truck, "He's a little under the weather."

One 2nd Class searched the front seats, while another checked the truck bed. The latter opened Sephiroth's bag and began rifling through his things.

"Cute," he said mockingly as he held up the stuffed chocobo.

Sephiroth held his tongue.

The 1st class soldier finished checking the front seats. He then began checking Angeal and Genesis' belongings, which were also in the truck bed along with Sephiroth's things. "The Rhapsodos Company…what's that?" he asked, holding up a business card from Genesis' bag.

"Those are the people that make Banora White apple juice, sir," another 2nd Class answered before Genesis could speak. "My kid sister practically lives off that stuff."

"They make Dumb-apple booze as well?" another soldier asked as he lifted a bottle of the liqueur from the case.

"Oh, jackpot!" the 1st Class exclaimed. He handed the bag back to Genesis and went over to look at the bottles. "Let's see…we can't take the whole case or we'll get caught for sure, but…" He pulled one more bottle out. "This plus the one Lawson just grabbed should do it. Two bottles outta make this a fun night!"

The rest of the group erupted into cheers.

"You're the best commanding officer ever, sir!"

"I love my job!"

"Best fucking perks ever!"

"You're going to let them make off with those?" Genesis whispered to Sephiroth.

"We'll still have four left to give out when we arrive," Sephiroth answered quietly, "I'm not going to fight every single injustice, Genesis. Had you joined SOLDIER like you originally wanted to, you would have learned the hard way not to do that."

"You may pass," the SOLDIER in charge called out to the trio as he and his subordinates made their way back to the camp.

"Thank you, sir," Angeal said politely as he and the others got back inside his truck.

"'Sir'?" Genesis scoffed.

"A little courtesy goes a long way," Angeal said patiently as he started the engine.

Genesis rolled his eyes as the truck began moving forward. He then leaned against the window and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Oh come on!" one of the soldiers whined as he shoved a cup of the makeshift mixed-drink into his fellow soldier's face, "Just a taste!"

The dark-haired young man shook his head vehemently. "Not me. You're the ones who get to relax while Kunsel, Luxiere and I are on watch tonight."

"Sir, we've got some insubordinate pussies!" the soldier complained to the 1st Class soldier, who was downing another shot from the small paper cup he used in lieu of a shot glass.

"Let 'em be," said their commanding officer, "This stuff wasn't for getting shit-faced with, otherwise I'd have taken the entire case."

Zack turned away so nobody would see his irritated expression. This guy was a rotten role model. Stealing booze from travelers? They hadn't even finished their search! What if those men had been terrorists and had a bomb? He had heard about the resistance group Avalanche and the trouble they were causing in Wutai. Surely there could be members lurking around elsewhere.

"Time for you to start your watch, anyway," said the commanding officer, "I think your friends are already outside. Better get a move on."

Zack stood up, saluted his superior officer, and left the tent, all-too-glad to be rid of the man.

"Hey, there he is," Kunsel said cheerily as Zack approached his two friends.

"They smashed already?" Luxiere asked, chuckling.

"It's not funny," said Zack, "What if some kind of emergency happens? Even if they're just buzzed, it'll inhibit their ability if we need to do battle."

"Don't worry about it," said Luxiere, "Seriously, I think we're fine. This area's not known for monsters roaming about, and if any enemies are around, we'll hear about it on the radio unit long before they make it here. Buzzed or not, we'll dispatch anyone. I hope you're not thinking of snitching."

Zack sighed. "No. What good would it do? If word got back to them that I was the one who ratted them out, I'm a dead man."

"Hey, at least you're not alone in this," Kunsel said reassuringly. "It would suck if you were the only sober guy in the unit."

"And it's only one more week," Luxiere added. "Then the assignment ends and we go back to Midgar. I'm just glad we weren't in Wutai. They're really doing a number on us."

"Yeah, but according to the news, you wouldn't think so," Kunsel chuckled.

"Let's not talk about the Wutai War," Zack suggested.

"Fair enough," said Luxiere. "Wanna play cards?"

"I left my deck inside the tent," said Kunsel, "and since we can't leave our post, we're S.O.L."

"Ah, damn…" Luxiere grumbled.

The three 2nd Class soldiers were silent for a moment. Luxiere picked up a few pebbles and began tossing them absently. Kunsel paced back and forth, while Zack took out his sword and began practicing a few swings and thrusts.

"Hey, Zack?" Kunsel spoke up.

Zack lowered his sword and turned to face his friend. "Yeah?"

"Why'd you join the army?" he asked. "You know, we've been pals for a few years now, but I realize now that I never asked you. You know why I joined, so why not even things out a bit?"

Zack grinned and sheathed his sword. "Story-time, huh? I guess I could think of worse ways to pass the time. All right, then:

"I was always fascinated with the idea of being a hero. But it seems like the army is really the only way to make that happen. I mean, I guess I could be a bounty hunter and kill monsters, but that's so small-scale. I wanna be remembered when I'm gone. Who's going to remember some farmer from Gongaga? Because that's what I'd be if I had just stayed there instead of leaving home. I couldn't stay, though. When I turned thirteen, I was practically climbing the walls.

"Still, I'd say that the first time I ever entertained the idea of being a soldier was when I was about six. That was actually before the SOLDIER program even started…though not that long before. That was the year that the reactor was built in Gongaga. I didn't live too far from the building site either, so I was always seeing these young guys from the army guarding the construction site. From trouble-makers, monsters, whatever. This was back when you had to be eighteen to join. But there was this one kid who was younger. I mean, to me, he still seemed so much older, but I remember his voice hadn't even finished changing yet, so he obviously was younger than the other soldiers. I'm not sure what his deal was."

Kunsel leaned forward, suddenly very interested in what Zack was saying.

"One day, my parents were at an emergency town meeting. It didn't have anything to do with the reactor, but anyway, this girl who was the daughter of my mom's best friend was babysitting me. And well, back then, I was a little hell-raiser. I managed to get her to chase me all the way to the building site. Yeah, I know, it was really stupid. Especially when some huge piece of whatever fell off and nearly squished me. That kid I mentioned, though…came zipping out of nowhere and caught the thing." Zack began to chuckle. "Man, I started _bawling…_that was nothing compared to when the sitter told my parents. My mom didn't let me out of her sight for weeks."

"What did this 'boy wonder' look like?" Kunsel asked curiously.

"Man, I'll never forget…" Zack said, squinting as if he were picturing his savior right then and there. "He had kind of longish hair, but it was silver. Like actually silver- not grey or white. He also had mako eyes…the first time I'd seen them. Honestly, it's as if he were some kind of SOLDIER prototype. In about a year, there were tons of kids like him joining up once the program opened up. But I've never seen that guy since. I've asked a couple of my commanding officers, but they all joined after SOLDIER began and they never heard of him."

"Interesting…" Kunsel mused, a sly, knowing grin spreading across his face. "…I mean everything…but especially the part about your not having known any commanding officers that joined SOLDIER before 1991. I happen to know a guy…ex-SOLDIER, though. He left back in 1990, after having served for seven years. Funny, huh?"

Zack's eyes widened. "And…?"

"Well, he has some memory problems," said Kunsel, "They started when he got maimed in that terrorist attack on Shinra Headquarters twelve years ago. That's why he got discharged. His foot was sliced off, most likely by one of the terrorists. Doctor said the wound was consistent with a sword. Maybe he hit his head too, because he doesn't remember a lot of his assignments…except one: two months supervising a unit…in Gongaga while the reactor was being built."

"Are you serious?!" Zack laughed, "Wow! That's one hell of a coincidence!" He looked hopefully at his friend. "And the kid I mentioned…?"

Kunsel shook his head. "He couldn't remember the boy's name, but what you said about him being a prototype is true. He was only thirteen years old, which we all know is the new minimum age to join up. He had a really long sword…longer than he was tall. And yes- silver hair and the very first pair of mako eyes…well, in SOLDIER, anyway. I've also heard they did mako testing for a good several years before SOLDIER started. Something to do with an employee accidentally getting drenched with mako and suddenly developing abnormal strength." He smiled. "If that accident had never happened, it's possible we'd all be at our proms instead of out here."

"Man, you really do know everything that goes on at Shinra, don't you?" Luxiere said admiringly.

"I just know the right people is all," Kunsel said modestly.

"How do you know this guy?" Zack asked.

"Well, back when I first joined up, I was assigned to work in the veterans' building," Kunsel explained, "My job was to hand out disability paychecks to medically discharged ex-soldiers. Now, some people who come there are really bitter. They just want you to shut up and give them their checks so they can run off to the bar or whatever. Not this guy. He's the nicest fellow you could meet. Sometimes he'd come in with his two boys. Really well-behaved kids. He says their mother enforced good manners. I guess she's the main breadwinner, and he takes care of the kids. Says he wouldn't have it any other way, and that his life is perfect. Can you imagine that? He's missing a foot, and can't remember half of his career, but says his life is perfect."

"Sometimes you meet people that just seem too good for this world," Zack said, smiling. "Did he have any other interesting stories?"

"Uh…well, one," Kunsel recalled, "He only has one other memory of the kid you mentioned. Most of his job revolved around guarding the 68th floor of the Shinra building, which is where part of the Science Department is. He was on his way home for the day, and he remembered passing by the common room and seeing the kid playing with a little girl. The kid was chasing her, then he grabbed her and started tickling her. He says he used to see the girl a lot, and that he always felt sorry for her. Of course, he can't remember _why_."

"Maybe she was sick," Luxiere suggested, "I hear Professor Rayleigh is involved with experimental medicine."

Kunsel shook his head again. "Maybe, but this was before Rayleigh came to work for Shinra. Anyway, one day, that vet invited me over to have dinner with his family. They live over in Sector Five, and in a pretty nice house too...for the slums. It's near a skylight and a man-made waterfall. He says the sound of the water rushing lulls him to sleep every night. Then there's a little clubhouse for the boys in the back yard…if you can really call it a yard. It's just a couple round platforms with dirt covering them."

"Looks like you found a family away from home to adopt you," Zack said, feeling a little jealous.

"I guess," Kunsel chuckled, "Every time I'm back in Midgar, I go over their house for Sunday dinner. I don't even have to call ahead. They just expect the possibility of my showing up every week. Really good food too. Lasagna, and the pot roast…hell, all the food is good. He and his wife take turns cooking. He does the lasagna, she does the pot roast, and so on."

"Man, you're making me _really_ hungry right now!" Zack whined.

"Any chance they might feed us if you were to bring us along?" Luxiere asked hopefully.

"What, and wear out my welcome by bringing you slobs?" Kunsel laughed, "No way! I got a good thing going there and I'm not gonna ruin it."

"Wow, that's cold," Luxiere complained.

"So did this guy know what happened to the silver-haired kid after he was discharged?" Zack asked.

Kunsel shook his head. "Nope. I told you everything I know."

"Hmm." Zack sat down, staring thoughtfully ahead at the horizon.

"'Oh, how will I ever find my silver-haired knight-in-shining-armor now?'" Luxiere said in a high-pitched falsetto, teasing his friend.

"Screw you," Zack laughed.

"Oh, wait a minute!" Kunsel reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. "Guess I didn't leave them in the tent after all!"

"All right!" Zack exclaimed.

"Gather 'round, boys," Kunsel said as he began shuffling the cards, "Five-card draw, deuces wild sound good to you?"

"Deal me in," said Zack.

"Me too," added Luxiere.

"Let's do it," Kunsel said as he began to deal the cards.

* * *

The sun was at its highest point in the sky when the ANSMA's doors opened and about two-dozen teenagers wearing rash guards poured out of the building. The Saturday morning Ground Jiu-Jitsu class had just ended, and its students were all looking forward to jumping in their showers to wash away the sweat from their two-hour long workout..

"God, this was too much today," one of the teens complained as a small group of students, including Aerith, walked through the tunnels together. They were on their way to the Ice Palace to cool off.

"This heat wave is really something else," Aerith agreed.

The group entered the Geomancer's Grotto. Suddenly, one boy's eyes gleamed with mischief. He ran up to the fountain and took off his shoes, jumping in.

"Are you nuts?!" one girl laughed.

"Too hot…" he groaned, as if he were a zombie, "Need…water…!"

He dipped his hands in the water and poured it on his head.

"I think he's onto something," Aerith giggled as she kicked off her sandals and went over to the fountain. She stepped in, joining her friend. "_Wow_, that's cold!"

"That was a pretty slick move you used in class," the boy commented, "What was that, anyway? You stepped in from the right, and…?"

He tried to copy Aerith's footwork from class earlier.

"No, it was from _my_ right, not yours..." Aerith corrected him as she demonstrated by stepping forward. Her foot slipped on the smooth bottom of the pool, however, and down she went with a huge splash.

"_Really_, guys?" one girl complained, having been hit by the water.

"Oh, shit!" the boy laughed, "Are you okay, Aerith?"

"Great Shiva, that's _really_ cold!" Aerith shrieked as she floundered around in the shallow water.

"Here, let me help you," the boy extended his hand.

Aerith took it and lowered her head, so he wouldn't see her sly expression. She then yanked the boy down next to her, soaking him as more water flew out of the fountain, this time hitting everyone else.

"Hey!"

"Great, now I gotta walk home like this!"

"Oh, you th-think you're so c-clever!" the boy said, shivering as he drove the water into Aerith's face.

Aerith, now accustomed to the cold temperature, began splashing back.

"Get her!" one of the girls in the group shouted as everyone else removed their shoes and jumped in.

* * *

Aerith was still soaked to the skin when her house finally came into view. Ten minutes of walking in the hot sun had not even come close to drying her off. The short-sleeved rash guard she wore clung to her even more than the tight garment normally did. She looked down, and could see her nipples poking out from behind the wet fabric. Grumbling, she covered her chest with her arms.

Needless to say, the trip to the Ice Palace had been called off. The group of teenagers would have all caught pneumonia if they had gone to the air-conditioned frozen treats establishment while soaked from the fountain's icy waters.

She continued to walk over to her house, when she noticed the strange truck parked out to the side where the grass ended. Wondering what was going on, she began jogging, eager to find out who was at the house. Many Avalanche members drove vehicles. She wondered if this had anything to do with the Wutai War.

Aerith was only about ten feet away from the front door when it opened, and none other than Sephiroth stepped out. He noticed her, and stopped where he was, staring at her. Suddenly, she became very self-conscious.

"Hi, Seph…!" she said, looking embarrassed, "Uh…I'd hug you, but I don't want to get your clothes wet."

"What happened?" Sephiroth asked, not taking his eyes off of her.

"Seph- what's the hold-up?" Angeal asked from behind. Sephiroth glanced backward and moved off to the side, allowing his friend to pass. "Hello," he said with a smile, "You must be Aerith. Sephiroth's told me about you over the years."

"You don't seem very surprised to see me," Sephiroth remarked.

Aerith smiled at her own cleverness, despite being self-conscious over her soaked appearance. "Nope. I called the temple when you didn't write, and when they told me about your sick friend, I figured you'd be on your way here to see my mother." She looked at Angeal. "Is this him?"

"No," Angeal said, shaking his head, "Not me. That would be Genesis, who your mom is taking a look at right now. My name's Angeal." He offered his hand to Aerith.

"Angeal Hewley," Aerith said with a smile. She extended her arm, shaking his hand while still covering her chest with her other arm. "It's so nice to finally meet you. Sephiroth's mentioned both you and Genesis in his letters, and when he visited."

She then looked at Sephiroth, who managed to lift his eyes up from her body to her face just in time. "How is he?"

"Grumpy," Angeal answered, "I guess I can't blame him. He's resting right now. Your mom is looking after him."

Aerith nodded understandingly. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I really should go change into something dry and untangle my hair before I wind up with dreadlocks. Be right back."

Sephiroth watched her disappear into the house and shook his head, stunned.

"She's grown so much," he said, partly to himself.

"You said you hadn't seen her in four years, right?" Angeal said.

"Yes," Sephiroth answered, unable to get the image of Aerith in her soaked clothes out of his head. Her already tight pink and baby-blue rash guard clinging to her very visible form, the damp skin of her legs almost glowing in the sunlight…

He suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as he remembered that this wasn't just any girl. She was the daughter of one of the people that he owed his sanity to. Ogling her like a common lecher was far from being an appropriate way to behave. And as if that weren't enough, he reminded himself, she was only seventeen.

"Are you okay?" Angeal asked, looking at Sephiroth with a worried expression on his face. "You looked a bit panicky for a moment. That's not like you at all."

"I think the sun is playing tricks on your head," Sephiroth said dismissively.

Angeal looked doubtfully at Sephiroth, but then shrugged. "Fine. Should we go take a look at the truck?"

"You go on ahead," Sephiroth said, "I'm going to get a glass of water. You want any?"

Angeal nodded. "Sure." He went over to the truck and popped the hood.

Sephiroth went back inside, walking into the kitchen. The house had been deserted when they had arrived, save for Ifalna. Aerith had been at her lessons, and Barnabas had taken Gabe and the twins to visit with Bugenhagen. Ifalna had stayed behind, wishing to meditate. She had looked preoccupied as she received Sephiroth and the others, despite being delighted to see him as always. She had also been thrilled to finally meet his two best friends after hearing about them for so many years.

Sephiroth saw a bag of 16-ounce plastic cups. He took two of them out, and went over to the sink. His sensitive ears could pick up Ifalna moving around in the living room, and Genesis snoring softly. He then turned the faucet, running his hand underneath the water until it was cold enough to his satisfaction. As he began filling the first cup, he heard footsteps and turned his head in their direction.

Aerith walked into the kitchen, having changed out of her soaked rash guard and trunks, and had dried her hair. Not bothering to tie it back like she normally did, she kept running her hand through her loose locks absently. She now wore a flowing white V-neck halter-top, with dark red leggings that came down to her knees. She must have been planning to go out, because a staff was strapped firmly to her back.

She looked absolutely exquisite, in Sephiroth's opinion.

"Hi," she said, smiling.

"Summons alive, you've grown up…" Sephiroth whispered, amazed.

He did not even realize the cup was overflowing until Aerith pointed silently at it, covering her mouth in a silent laugh. Quickly, he emptied it slightly and set it aside.

"Yeah, us kids are known for doing that," Aerith joked, her eyes gleaming playfully.

Sephiroth smiled as he filled the other glass. He had always looked forward to seeing Aerith during his sporadic trips to Cosmo Canyon. Indeed, he had concealed his disappointment the last time he visited upon finding out that the girl was at the Gold Saucer with her classmates. He still enjoyed catching up with Ifalna, getting to know Gabe(who he had never met before), and further acquainting himself with the twins. Cassius had tried again to lift Masamune(as he had tried to do since he could walk), but it was all in vain. That still didn't stop the then-nine-year-old from vowing he would be able to swing it someday, even if he couldn't summon it. Sephiroth had enjoyed listening to Carlie playing her ocarina.

His memories were interrupted as he felt Aerith pressing up against him, throwing her arms around his waist and squeezing tightly. As he felt her pressed up against him, he became even more aware of how much the girl had grown up in the last four years.

"I missed you," she said.

"And I, you," Sephiroth replied as he returned the embrace, marveling silently at how soft her bare shoulders were.

Aerith stepped back. "I'm sorry we had to meet again under these circumstances."

Sephiroth nodded silently.

"I wanted to help my mom," Aerith explained, "But she shooed me away and told me to help you show Angeal around. Where is he?"

"Out front checking out his truck," Sephiroth told her, "It managed to hold off until we got to your house, but the reason it's parked in such a strange spot is that it died when we arrived."

"Hmm…" Aerith scratched her head thoughtfully, "Nine times out of ten when that happens around here, it's an overheated radiator. Was there a lot of steam coming out?"

"Yes," Sephiroth answered.

Aerith smiled brightly. "I think I've figured out the first place to show you guys."

"Oh?"

"One of Avalanche's members that lives here is their official mechanic," Aerith explained, "I can introduce you guys…if Angeal shows me how to drive that thing once it's fixed."

Sephiroth smirked at the idea of Aerith behind the wheel of an automobile. "All right," he said, "Let's go find him and see if he's open to such a deal. At least it's his truck you want to use and not his sword. That…he might not be so eager to share with you."

"I'm a staff user," Aerith said, indicating her wooden quarterstaff.

"Ah, that's right. Let me see that…"

He walked behind her and eyed the staff carefully. The middle part of the weapon was adorned with what looked like steel, so that it could easily attach and detach from the magnetic part of the sheath. Somehow, his gaze managed to shift halfway down, until he caught himself admiring her bottom curves, very visible thanks to the form-fitting leggings she wore.

He snapped out of it once he saw Aerith reach behind and grab one end of the staff. Her other hand reached back and yanked the staff away from the magnet. Sephiroth stepped out of the way as she whirled the staff to the front, turning around and immediately falling into a defensive stance.

"Good form…" he said, cursing himself silently for the double-entendre.

"Thanks," Aerith said happily, "Hey, I'm kind of thirsty too. Let me get you some ice for those drinks…"

Sephiroth closed his eyes as he felt her brush against him when she walked past, moving between him and the counter as she went to the freezer. She opened the door and took out a tray of ice cubes, hitting them against the counter and popping the cubes out, which she dropped into the two drinks. She then took out a cup for herself and filled it with the cold tap water. Once she put a few ice cubes in her cup, she put the tray away, and turned around.

"Do you have a phone?" she asked, "The mechanic is on this phone list." She took a sheet of paper off of the refrigerator and held it up.

"I do," Sephiroth said with a nod. "Perhaps once we call this person, we can go see Dr. Triton. I was hoping I could give her something I brought with me. And that reminds me…there's a gift waiting for you in the truck as well."

Aerith's face lit up instantly. She then grabbed the sword-wielding monk's arm excitedly and practically dragged him out the front door, while he tried not to spill the cups of ice water he held.

Sephiroth laughed to himself as he let himself be pulled by his childhood friend. Some things never changed.

* * *

"It just won't heal," Genesis said as he and Ifalna sat on the living room sofa. He had woken up a few minutes ago, and she was now taking a look at his arm. The would looked as fresh as it had been when he had first received it several weeks ago.

"Hmm…" Ifalna said, steepling her fingers and pursing her lips together thoughtfully. "Normally I can heal without materia, but I do have one mastered Cure that I might need to use for something like this."

"No materia has been able to cure this," Genesis sighed.

"The materia will help, but I assure you I'll be doing most of the work," Ifalna said with a twinkle in her eye. She went over to the special kit she carried her things in. Opening it, she took out a green orb, leaving the kit open.

Genesis sat up more so he could see inside. "Is that a..._white_ materia?" he asked, pointing at the kit.

"Ah, well, yes," Ifalna said as she sat back down next to Genesis. "That is, it's not really for use. I keep it with me when I go to work, though. Sort of a good-luck charm."

Genesis nodded as Ifalna closed her eyes and began to chant softly in a language Genesis could not recognize. She closed her eyes, holding the materia in her hand, rather than fitting it into an accessory such as a bracelet; or a weapon.

Suddenly, her entire body radiated with a green light. She reached out with her free hand, running it over the wound on Genesis' arm.

The young man gasped and closed his eyes as he felt an intensely cool and soothing sensation across his arm. When he opened his eyes, he saw the flesh rapidly knitting itself together. Just as the healing finished, Ifalna jumped up with a startled cry.

"You did it…!" Genesis whispered in amazement. He then looked up and saw the shocked expression on Ifalna's face. "What's wrong?"

"Jenova's children…" Ifalna whispered hoarsely. She began to look terrified. "It's already begun…"

"Ma'am, what's wrong?" Genesis asked again, his voice more insistent.

Ifalna collapsed into the chair that sat next to the sofa.

"Where do I even start…?" she said, shaking her head.

"I've got plenty of time for you to figure that out," Genesis told her. "I'm not going anywhere, so just start from the beginning."

"I can sense a lot of things," Ifalna began, "…It's hard to explain. I don't know how much Sephiroth told you about me."

"Virtually nothing until he decided to seek your help," said Genesis, "He said that you're the last known Cetra."

Ifalna nodded. "Has Sephiroth ever told you about a being known as 'Jenova'…?"

* * *

"This is absolutely lovely, Sephiroth," Dr. Triton marveled as she looked over the bottle of Banora White Liqueur she held in her hands. "I'm only sorry that this is just my lunch break. My actual shift doesn't end for another six hours. Silly doctors' oath." She then chuckled. "That was a joke, in case you kids didn't know."

She sat at her desk in her office, while Sephiroth, Aerith and Angeal sat in the chairs across from her.

"Genesis went into business with a distillery from Gongaga," Angeal explained, "This is the final result."

"I'm so pleased to know you're doing well for yourself," the doctor said to Sephiroth. "Monster-hunting monk-for-hire, and distributor of Banora White apple juice. Seems like you've become quite the productive member of society!"

"It's been a good life so far," Sephiroth remarked easily. "This problem with Genesis is the first real issue I've had to deal with in the last twelve years."

Dr. Triton nodded solemnly. "How many doctors has he been to see?"

"Every last one on Mideel," Angeal answered, "Even in the tiny backwoods villages. We've brought him to see healers, shamans, and they're all baffled. When Sephiroth told us that his oldest friend was actually the last living pure-blooded Cetra-,"

"That's still debatable," Sephiroth interjected, "Until she regains her memory, we'll never know for certain."

"How long can amnesia last?" Angeal asked.

"Nearly twenty years, in Ifalna's case," Dr. Triton replied, "I don't know if it's physical, mental, or maybe a bit of each."

"Why doesn't she re-trace her steps?" Angeal suggested.

Sephiroth stared at his friend, annoyed. "She didn't forget where she put her wallet."

"I mean, where was it that she lost her memory?" Angeal asked, unfazed.

"An abandoned city," Sephiroth told him. "She doesn't know how to get there. She was 'rescued' by Shinra archaeologists, and taken to Midgar by helicopter."

"How many abandoned cities are there in the world?" Angeal asked, "It's not as if it's in the area beyond the southern coasts. The raging storms make it impossible for anyone to go past there…unless she got there somehow and was injured getting through."

"She said she saw glaciers on the ride back," Sephiroth replied, "It would have been north."

"So why did she never try and look for the place?" Angeal asked.

"According to her, the planet told her it was time for her to concentrate on healing," Aerith answered. "You know Sephiroth's back-story. My mother's is the same...as is mine. I spent the first five years of my life living in a laboratory."

Angeal looked at Aerith with a subdued expression.

"Don't," Aerith warned him, "My mother and I hate it when people pity us. We're fine now. We've healed."

"Speaking of healing," Dr. Triton added, "I wouldn't worry about your friend. I don't know if Sephiroth told you about a young woman named Elfé, but she would have wasted away if Ifalna had not found the cause. Once she did so, the cure was easy."

"I hope that turns out to be the case here," Angeal sighed.

"Don't worry," Aerith reassured Angeal. "If my mom gets stuck, then I'll help her. I guess once a Cetra hits puberty, their abilities increase. My ability to grow things, and to heal injuries, well…you'll see eventually." She smiled, as if she were proud of herself.

Just then, Angeal's PHS rang. He took it out and looked at the caller ID. "It says _you're_ calling me," he said as he scowled at Sephiroth.

"I left my phone with Ifalna after we called the mechanic…right before we headed off," Sephiroth explained. "Answer it. It could be important."

Angeal opened the phone and spoke into the receiver. "Mrs. Duran…? Yes, we're visiting with the doctor…you did? That's fantastic! …Oh, I see." He listened for a moment. "Alright, we'll be right over."

"What's going on?" Aerith asked as Angeal stood up and shoved the phone into his pocket.

"Your mom was able to heal Genesis' arm, but she said there's still something very wrong with him. She also said it concerns Sephiroth. She'll explain it all once we get to the house."

Sephiroth nodded as he and Aerith stood up as well. "Sorry we had to cut this visit short," he said, bowing his head.

"Your friend comes first," Dr. Triton reassured him. "I hope everything turns out all right."

"It was nice meeting you, Doctor," Angeal said as he shook the woman's hand. He followed Sephiroth and Aerith outside, and they began the walk back to the Duran family house.


	14. Chapter 3: Ripples On The Water

Shout-Outs:

badnephilim: Damn, I've been compared to George R.R. Martin! High praise indeed! Thanks. ;)

faunalind: Cosmo Canyon just seems to be the kind of place where Aerith would fit in with everyone and have a normal social life.

JazzQueen: Ifalna's memories are indeed the eponymous key to everything.

Greatazuredragon: We couldn't have an altered retelling of the FF7 compilation without Zack now, could we? And where there's Zack, a certain chocobo-headed young man isn't far behind…

catxangel: Don't forget there was another female who seemed to have a thing for Zack in Crisis Core… ;)

Arwynna Morrigu: Yeah, they joined SOLDIER, but you can already see they've became disillusioned much quicker. This is what happens when there's no heroes to set the precedent. Guess Zack's going to have to do all the work himself…

* * *

Chapter 3: Ripples on the Water

"I can only patch him up so much," Ifalna said as everyone sat in the living room. "There's something very wrong with his body. It's as if…he's not…held together properly."

Genesis sat comfortably on a chair, facing opposite of Ifalna, who sat on the other chair. Sephiroth, Angeal, and Aerith sat together on the sofa in between the two of them.

"With the wound gone, the sickness has slowed down," Ifalna went on, "but he's eventually going to start getting worse. What will happen, I can't be sure. This has been going on likely his whole life. And…all of this involves Jenova."

Sephiroth leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "How can you be sure?" he asked.

"I sense many of the same things about Genesis as I do you," Ifalna explained, "You have a similar feel that I get when any of my children walk into the room. It's likely that was how Jenova was able to assimilate into the Cetra civilization so long ago. The same feeling holds true for Genesis. Thankfully, neither of you have the same malevolence she possessed."

"How did you come to know so much about this creature if it supposedly was sealed away two-thousand years ago?" Angeal asked, having been briefed on Jenova years ago by Sephiroth.

"The Cetra's history with Jenova was relayed to me by the planet while I hid away from the Shinra at Icicle Inn eighteen years ago," Ifalna answered, "I then shared these bits of information with the man who looked after me during that time. Later, we fell in love and were married in a private ceremony. Then, less than a year later, Aerith came along."

Aerith nodded, always interested to know more about her biological father.

"I didn't know your husband was from Icicle Inn," Angeal said, nodding his head at the large family portrait on the living room wall.

"Different man," Aerith corrected him, "The man in the picture _is_ my daddy for all intents and purposes. He adopted me when he married my mom. But my actual father was killed by members of the Shinra army, at the order of a horrible man…Professor Hojo."

"I noticed that Aerith looked nothing like your husband," said Genesis, "Sometimes genes only favor one parent, though. That's how I knew my parents weren't really mine, even before they told me that I was adopted. I didn't resemble either of them."

Sephiroth looked at Genesis. "You don't seem shocked to hear that you may share the same cells as myself…and Jenova."

"I'm not," Genesis answered. "I always knew I was different from the other kids, but when I met Angeal and then you…I felt as though it no longer mattered. I had one small place where everything was fine: the company of my friends."

"Angeal…" Ifalna said as she turned to the dark-haired young man, "I…don't wish to alarm you, but I sense-,"

The front door opened, and in walked the twins, followed by Barnabas, who was carrying Gabe.

"Sephiroth!" Cassius exclaimed excitedly as he noticed the sword-wielding monk sitting on the couch. "Aerith said you might be showing up, but she never did tell us why, or how she even knew!"

"Hello, Cassius," Sephiroth greeted the boy.

"Kids, would you mind playing out back?" Ifalna asked. She then looked at Barnabas, who was setting Gabe down. "Honey, would you mind getting dinner started tonight?"

Something in her eyes told Barnabas that something important was happening. "Of course," he said with a smile. "Who are your friends, Seph?"

"Angeal Hewley, sir," Angeal said as he stood up and walked over to Barnabas. The two shook hands.

"Genesis Rhapsodos," said Genesis with a wave.

"Ah, Sephiroth's friends," Barnabas realized. "Good to finally meet you."

"Wait, before you kids leave…" Sephiroth stood up and went to where his burlap bag was. He brought it over to the three younger kids and reached inside. He pulled out the nunchucks. "For Cassius…"

"Neato!" the boy shouted as he took the weapon and began to examine it.

"Don't start twirling those things until you're outside, Cass," Barnabas warned him.

Sephiroth pulled out the ocarina and handed it to Carlie. "You mentioned the last time I visited that the one you already have is in the 'key of C'. I have no idea what that means, but I remembered, and I asked the shopkeeper for one in the key of…something else."

Carlie looked over the instrument, which sported more keyholes than her usual sweet potato ocarina. Her face lit up. "It's chromatic," she said excitedly, "I can play it in any key I want! Thank you, Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth smiled, and then pulled out the stuffed chocobo, holding it out for Gabe.

"He stwanger…?" the toddler said uncertainly, looking up at Barnabas.

"No, no," Barnabas reassured his son, "Sephiroth's not a stranger. You met him last year. You don't remember?"

Gabe shook his head no.

"Well, Sephiroth is our friend, so it's okay for you to take the present," Barnabas explained.

A half-moon smile appeared on Gabe's face as he took the chocobo.

"What do you say, Gabe?" Ifalna reminded him.

"…Tank-you!" Gabe remembered.

"Thanks, Sephiroth," Cassius chimed in.

"You're all quite welcome," Sephiroth replied.

"Alright, now go outside and play while I get dinner ready," Barnabas said as he led the children away. "Carlie, stay at least five feet away from your brother while he's using that..."

"I've lost my train of thought…" Ifalna muttered, frustrated.

"You had something to say to me," Angeal reminded her.

Ifalna suddenly looked worried. "Angeal…I sense the exact same thing about you…only you seem to be whole."

Angeal burst out laughing nervously. "That…that's not possible! Look, I can understand how that could be the case with Sephiroth, and even Genesis." He calmed down and continued to speak: "Who knows where Genesis _really_ came from? It was obviously a closed adoption, so anything could have happened. But how could I have something like Jenova cells without my folks being aware of it? If anything strange had happened, they would tell me."

"Well, perhaps we need to ask them directly," Sephiroth suggested, "It's possible that they've been lying by omission all these years. Genesis is right- we never were like the other children. We've always been faster, smarter, and stronger. Maybe it's fate that we met and became friends. After all…it seems as though all my friendships were fated."

He glanced at Ifalna, and then Aerith.

"'My friend, the fates are cruel…'," Genesis spoke somberly.

"I am getting very sick of that insipid poem, Genesis," Sephiroth groaned.

"All of this 'Jenova' business we're dealing with started with Shinra," said Genesis, "How much do you want to bet that the answers are there?"

"And we'll do what?" Sephiroth asked sarcastically, "Storm the Shinra Headquarters and demand answers? After what I did years ago, they've probably taken that possibility into consideration. Hojo probably has spent the last decade figuring out how to kill me. The company simply isn't interested in finding me, after all."

"What I want to know," said Angeal, "Is that if we were infused with Jenova cells, then why weren't we raised by the Shinra like Sephiroth was?"

"Your parents would never allow it to happen," Sephiroth pointed out. "My father was only too happy to sacrifice me on the altar of scientific progress. Is it possible that your parents are Shinra refugees as well?"

"Yes…" Angeal looked hopeful, "That must be it! That would explain why my parents didn't tell me. If they're trying to protect me…" He looked at Genesis. "Maybe your birth parents were willing to let you suffer the same fate as Sephiroth, and my parents stole you? Then they set you up with your family. Maybe this was done to my mother against her will…like…" He looked at Ifalna, and trailed off. "Oh god, what if my father isn't my real father but some scumbag Shinra worker they decided to 'breed' her with?"

Ifalna's fingers tightened around the armrests of her chair. She knew it was entirely possible.

Genesis shook his head. "That's all conjecture. We don't know _what_ the answers are. We need to find them out."

"He's right," Sephiroth said. "If we allow ourselves to get worked up over the worst-case scenario, we might as well give up all hope now. We need to find the truth, and all of it. 'Half-truths are the undoing of entire civilizations.'…"

Genesis chuckled. "You get on my case for quoting 'Loveless', but you're just as bad, if not worse, with quoting your monk tenets."

"Turnabout is fair play," Sephiroth retorted evenly.

Ifalna smiled at the young men's banter. Those two really were Sephiroth's friends, and clearly meant a lot to him. Why else would he entrust his secrets to them and bring them to see her? She knew that it would be devastating for Sephiroth if anything were to happen to Genesis.

She then marveled silently at the divine providence that had clearly conspired to bring those three young men together. And then there was Aerith's dream, that spoke of Jenova's children. Now, here they were, sitting in her living room. She wondered if there were more people than just the three of them. Sephiroth had been SOLDIER's prototype, and despite his escaping from Shinra, enough work had been done that the company clearly had felt good about starting the program up without him.

SOLDIER had never sent anyone to Cosmo Canyon, though Genesis had told her about the checkpoint. Were they closing in? She also couldn't help but wonder if members of SOLDIER might have Jenova cells as well, even if they weren't injected in-utero like Sephiroth. Jenova could regenerate, even in stasis. Shinra would be in no danger of running out of her DNA.

What if this involved _all_ of the members of SOLDIER…?

"Mom, are you okay?" Aerith asked, looking worriedly at her mother.

Ifalna pressed her steepled fingers against her forehead. "It's a lot to think about," she sighed.

"One thing I don't quite understand," said Angeal, "Is Jenova itself. Jenova cells. I keep hearing that. But what _is_ Jenova, and where did it come from?"

"Jenova," Sephiroth explained, "is the name that a young intern named Faremis Gast gave to a perfectly preserved humanoid body that was found in the Northern Crater, by a team of archaeologists and scientists. He discovered it, and he named it. The team took the body back to Shinra's fledgling science department, where it was discovered that the cells had regenerative properties. It was eventually proposed that these cells could attach and fuse themselves to human cells, theoretically bestowing humans with said regenerative abilities. Therefore, it was assumed that Jenova was an Ancient, or Cetra; though now we know she was an extraterrestrial.

"One day, two scientists stepped forward. They were in a...romantic relationship, and had discovered they were expecting a child together. They offered their unborn child up to be injected with those cells. Of course, the mother was injected with them too so that she would be strong enough to deal with such a pregnancy. However, the cells had an adverse effect on her mind…it's still not clear to this day what happened to the mother except that she's dead. My guess is, she either died in labor, or in some asylum somewhere. As for the child…well…"

"You've told us enough about yourself to know that we're looking at that child right now," Angeal finished solemnly.

Sephiroth nodded.

Aerith spoke up: "I had a dream…or a vision, you could say…less than a week ago. The planet warned me of disasters that needed to be prevented. That Jenova wants her children…plural."

"I need to call my mother," Angeal said as he glanced at the clock. "No use in trying now. It's after midnight in Banora and everyone's asleep. First thing in the morning, though..."

"Ifalna, will Sephiroth's friends be staying for dinner?" Barnabas called out from the kitchen.

Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis looked at each other.

* * *

"More potatoes?" Ifalna held a dish out to Angeal.

"Thank you, ma'am," Angeal said as he took the dish and grabbed the spoon inside, heaping more scalloped potatoes onto his plate.

"Here's what Sephiroth gave me," Aerith said as she held up hew new Earth materia. "The rocks in the desert might be getting a bit of a makeover soon."

"See what you're about to unleash?" Barnabas said jokingly to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth shrugged indifferently as he chewed his food. Once he swallowed, a small smile could be seen on his face.

"I'm already learning how to use my present," Cassius announced, "Seph, you really know how to match a person up with the right weapon. These nunchucks are awesome! I've already mastered the figure-8 swing just from practicing this past hour. What about Carlie? Whaddaya think she should fight with?"

"Fight what?" Carlie protested, "I'm not marching off to war. Don't drag me into your fighting games."

"Sephiroth, what brings you and your friends to Cosmo Canyon?" Barnabas asked, "Aerith called the temple and was told that one of your friends was sick. Both your companions seem to be fine, however."

"I'm the one who's ill," Genesis piped up, pouring himself a glass of apple juice from a large pitcher.

"I was able to cure one of the symptoms," Ifalna explained, "But he's still not well."

"He just acts tough," Angeal joked. He then went on: "Anyway, Sephiroth figured if Cetra healing can't save him, what else can?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I have confidence that Ifalna will at least be able to point us in the right direction. We won't return until Genesis is his old self again."

"Your not-so-secret admirer will be disappointed when you don't return to Mideel," Genesis said, grinning mockingly.

Sephiroth shot him a withering glare.

"Oh my, a potential love interest?" Ifalna teased Sephiroth, "Please, do tell! What's the lucky lady's name?"

Aerith froze.

At that, Genesis burst out laughing. Angeal put a hand to his face, trying(badly) to cover up the huge grin on his face.

"Christopher," Sephiroth answered uncomfortably, already wondering if he had made a mistake of admitting that to her.

Barnabas looked around awkwardly.

"Oh…" was all Ifalna could manage. Then, "So, um…"

Cassius was howling with laughter now, mostly at being able to see both of his parents squirming. Carlie buried her face in her arms, but her shoulders were quaking in silent mirth. Aerith tilted her head at Sephiroth.

"I'm _not_ interested," he stated flatly, glaring at Genesis for having brought it up. "Not in him, or any other man."

Aerith suddenly let out a huge breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Wait…she wondered...why was that so important to her?

"It's not so bad," Genesis teased his friend, "It's a harmless crush. Big deal. It's happened to me twice. Guys are just more forward in their advances than girls usually are. And we _are_ quite pretty, me and Sephiroth. Angeal, not so much. What do you think, Aerith?"

Angeal fought the urge to throw a piece of potato at Genesis.

"You _would_ look positively _gorgeous _in a dress," Aerith said jokingly to Genesis.

"Why thank you," Genesis said with false modestly.

"She would know," Carlie giggled, "Mom told me when Cass and I were about two years old, Aerith took-!"

"Shut up, Carlie!" Cassius panicked.

Aerith, realizing what her sister was going to announce, couldn't help but snicker.

"She put one of- mmph!" Carlie began before her brother clamped his hand firmly on her mouth.

"YECH!" Cassius shrieked as he jerked his arm away two seconds later and wiped it with a napkin. "She licked my hand!"

"Aerith-dressed-Cass-up-in-one-of-my-dresses-and-Mom-has-a-picture-of-it!" Carlie quickly said as she batted her brother's hands away from her face.

"Oh, I can't _wait_ till you're not paying attention, Carlie…!" Cassius seethed.

"All right!" Ifalna said wearily. "Kids, you seem to be all done, why don't you wait in the living room for dessert?"

The twins stood up and pushed in their chairs.

"It won't be tonight," Cassius warned Carlie as they left the dining room, "It'll be when you least expect it…"

"Will those who are grateful to be an only child please raise their hands?" Genesis asked before raising his hand.

Angeal and Sephiroth raised their hands as well.

"Dessert?" Gabe questioned.

"Soon, kiddo," Barnabas assured the little boy. He opened up the hi-chair and took Gabe out, setting him down. "Go play with your brother and sister, alright?"

Gabe ran off excitedly toward the living room.

"The pies should be ready to eat in about twenty minutes," said Ifalna, pointing her thumb at the counter behind her. Two chocolate creme pies sat side-by-side, cooling off next to the open window.

"I might have a little room for pie," Angeal said happily, patting his stomach.

"We could go for a walk until then," Aerith suggested to Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis.

"Sounds good to me," Genesis grunted as he stood up and reached for his dishes.

"Oh, don't bother!" Aerith reached over and took them instead. "It's my turn to clear the table. I'll be along in a bit."

Genesis nodded and left the dining room. Sephiroth and Angeal followed.

Aerith began collecting all of the dishes and carried them over to the kitchen sink. When she came back to grab the remainders, her parents were still siting at the table.

"We'll get our own dishes," Barnabas told her, "Your mother and I are just going to talk here for a moment."

Aerith nodded. She imagined her mother would be filling her stepfather in on everything that had happened that day. She moved to leave.

"Oh, and Aerith?" Ifalna said.

Her daughter turned around expectantly.

"I just rounded up the clothes for tomorrow's laundry before we started eating," said Ifalna, "Your training clothes were soaked. Drenched, rather. They didn't stink, so it's safe to assume it wasn't sweat."

Aerith's eyes were practically bugging out of her face as she gestured widely with her arms. "BIIIIIIIIIG rain clouds, Mom! Black as night, and they…!"

She trailed off as she saw the less-than-amused look on her parents' faces.

"I fell in the fountain…" she muttered, hanging her head, "In the Geomancer's Grotto."

"Interesting…" Barnabas said, turning to Ifalna, "I saw Auryn's grandmother, and Drake and Cole's father this afternoon. They reported very similar stories: their kids came back from Ground Jiu-Jitsu soaked to the skin, and they _all_ 'accidentally' fell in the fountain."

"That's _very_ interesting…" Ifalna said to her husband.

"Indeed," Barnabas agreed.

"The _truth_, young lady..." Ifalna demanded.

"We had a water-war," Aerith admitted, "We jumped in the fountain."

Ifalna groaned and rested her head in her hands. "Aerith, you're seventeen years old. I would think you'd have learned by now that the Grotto is _not_ a play area…"

"It was over a hundred degrees!" Aerith whined, "We only splashed around for a couple minutes!"

"And if the elders had caught you, they would have had your hide," Barnabas reminded her.

Aerith seemed to deflate. "Yes, sir…" she said, looking chastised.

"The Grotto is sacred," Ifalna added, "Playing in the fountain is tantamount to desecration as far as the elders are concerned. Don't let me hear of you doing something like that again."

"Okay…" Aerith said, defeated. She left the dining room.

"Kids…" Barnabas chuckled.

"Can you imagine if someone like Elder Hargo had caught them wading around in the fountain?" Ifalna laughed, "I'd wipe myself out trying to heal _that _heart attack…"

* * *

"So that's why you looked like you were auditioning for a surfing movie earlier today…" Sephiroth said with a smirk as Aerith entered the kitchen.

Aerith turned bright red as she put the rest of the glasses and plates in the sink. "You heard? …I must seem like some little kid to you…"

Sephiroth shook his head. "No," he said, "you don't. I'm not like some great aunt at a family reunion who blathers on about how much someone has grown and then treats them like a child. I meant what I said about you having grown up. Obviously, the planet agrees, if it's preparing you for something as dangerous as Jenova."

Aerith decided to change the subject, not wanting to discuss the scolding _or_ her vision. "Are the others ready?"

"Genesis suddenly felt ill," Sephiroth told her. "He's resting on the sofa in the living room. Angeal's watching over him to make sure he doesn't keel over. Your brother and sister went to their rooms."

"They're a pain sometimes, the twins," Aerith said with a smile, "but they can be considerate at times, too. I suppose Genesis could use some peace and quiet. Why don't we go out back?"

"How much more has the grass spread this past year?" Sephiroth asked as he followed Aerith to the sliding glass door.

"See for yourself," Aerith said as she opened the door. They stepped outside into the back yard together.

"Amazing…" Sephiroth breathed as he looked around. "The greenery here gets more luscious every time I come to visit."

"Well, now that there's five Cetra living here instead of two, the grass just keeps spreading," said Aerith. She walked over to a tiny tree, which stood several feet away from two taller ones. "I'm guessing you saw this little guy when you visited last year."

"I was told it was planted when Gabe was born," said Sephiroth.

"It's a Cetra tradition," said Aerith. She then giggled. "Well, sort of. It's a family tradition, but since our family makes up the entire known Cetra civilization, you could call it a Cetra tradition. It started when Mom and I first started moving our stuff into the house. One night, Mom and I stayed out here for hours, meditating on a large blanket. The next morning, all of the rock broke down into several square feet of soil."

Sephiroth nodded. "She told me she had met a traveling merchant who was on his way to Nibelheim, and then Rocket Town. She bought a seed from him, and planted it."

"She told me it represented the marriage between her and Daddy," Aerith went on, "She planted it the night before the wedding. The residents were always so impressed with how quickly it grew. They said it was a sign of the love between the two of them. I told her I wanted to plant a tree too, and she thought it was an excellent idea. So when the merchant came through again only a couple months later, she bought another seed."

She walked over to the tree that she often sat underneath. "You already know this one is mine, and the one that represents my parents is the one in the front-,"

"Which Angeal nearly knocked down when his truck died…" Sephiroth groaned, "I apologize for that."

Aerith giggled. "I think his truck would have been the one with the serious damage had it crashed into it," she explained, "You see, these trees are quite resilient. After all, who ever saw any trees growing in the rocky soil of Cosmo Canyon? It's like flowers growing in the slums of Midgar."

"Your family creates miracles," Sephiroth said, smiling appreciatively.

Aerith looked slightly embarrassed at the compliment. "When the twins were born…" she pointed at the two small trees that stood nearby, close to one another. "…we planted these side-by-side so they'd grow up together just like Cassius and Carlie. They used to be so close, but now they're kind of drifting apart."

"Pre-adolescence," said Sephiroth, "They're just trying to find their own identities is all. The bond is still there, I'm sure. Your's is a very close-knit family."

Aerith nodded. "I like the idea of these trees representing us," she said, "They'll be around long after we're gone. I'm glad." She touched her tree and closed her eyes. "If I fail, there will at least be this tree left."

Sephiroth looked alarmed. "What are you talking about, Aerith?" he asked suspiciously.

"When I got that vision…" Aerith explained uneasily, "I saw my own death…as a possibility…one of the things that I was warned about-,"

"-I won't let that happen!" Sephiroth interjected, "Never. I've known you since you were less than a month old. I'll be damned if I ever let anything happen to you."

"Hmm…" Aerith smiled playfully. "So does that mean you'd be my bodyguard while I go help save the world?"

"Absolutely," Sephiroth answered seriously.

Aerith looked taken aback. "Really?"

Mako eyes stared at her, full of resolve. "Of course."

"Then I guess I have nothing to worry about," Aerith said, looking truly relieved. She then began walking back to the door. "Stay right here," she said happily, "I've got a present for you too."

"All right," Sephiroth said as he watched her go back inside. He looked around the yard, noticing the moon, already high in the sky, and illuminating everything around him. He went to the chair that sat underneath Aerith's tree and sat down, making himself comfortable.

A minute later, Aerith came back outside, holding a canvas. It was a 16x20-inch oil painting of Sephiroth. He was dressed in black, including a black pair of shoulder pauldrons, and posed with Masamune.

"You captured me perfectly," Sephiroth whispered in amazement, "The stance…the perspective…the lighting…the colors…it's wonderful. Why black, though?" He glanced at the grey monk robes he currently wore, which would have almost matched his hair once the black dye came out. He then made a mental note to take a shower once he went inside.

"Because," Aerith said, "I thought about it for a while, and those robes just don't do you justice. Honestly, I don't think they go with your sword at all. I tried different colors on a test canvas, and black just ended up being the best one."

"I'd like to find a frame for this tomorrow," Sephiroth told her as he held up the painting. "I'm sure we'll have time."

"I'm glad you like it," Aerith said happily.

Sephiroth drew her into his arms. Aerith immediately wrapped her own arms around his waist, looking surprised, but pleased.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Sephiroth vowed solemnly.

"You never have," Aerith told him.

"I can see why the planet chose you," Sephiroth said solemnly, "You're becoming wise beyond your years. I wouldn't worry about still wanting to play around every once in a while. Adulthood is a frightening thing. I don't blame you for wanting to hold onto your childhood as long as you can. I have confidence in you, Aerith. I could see you becoming like the paladins of long ago: brave…honest, and willing to fight for what you believe in."

"I'm still scared," Aerith confessed.

"That's natural," Sephiroth reassured her.

Aerith looked up at Sephiroth, and saw in his eyes the same confidence she always saw, ever since she was a little girl. Even then, she thought his eyes were beautiful. She could still remember when she was four and had asked him if he would trade her his eyes for hers…it was rather embarrassing to think about it now. She still couldn't help looking into his eyes…only…something felt different…

Suddenly, the door opened and the twins came running out, laughing loudly, with Cassius' grudge clearly forgotten. Gabe followed, screeching loudly.

Aerith and Sephiroth immediately jumped away from each other like shrapnel from an exploding bomb.

"Gabe's the monster!" Carlie giggled as she backed away from the little boy.

"Oh, is he?" Aerith quickly recovered and made her way over to her baby brother. "You know what happens to monsters?"

Gabe bared his teeth at his eldest sister and screeched again.

"They get _tickled!_" Aerith exclaimed as she grabbed him and began poking his belly repeatedly. Gabe instantly broke character, shrieking with laughter.

"Oh, _ho!_" Cassius gloated, "And the monster is vanquished!"

"Good triumphs again!" Carlie added.

Sephiroth smiled at the scene, slipping back into the house. Knowing what she faced in the near future, he was glad to see her enjoy the final moments of her childhood. Planet knew she could use it.

* * *

"Well?" Genesis prodded the next morning, as everyone sat in the dining room, eating breakfast. "Did you reach your folks?"

Angeal shook his head. "No answer. I'll try again later. It's Sunday. My mother usually goes grocery shopping on Sundays anyway, while my father goes fishing with his friends. I'll try again in a couple hours."

"How are you feeling, Genesis?" Carlie asked.

"Tired, but my arm not hurting is a huge relief," Genesis answered as he reached for a piece of bacon. "Thank you for asking, Carlie."

"Tell me about Avalanche, sir," Angeal said to Barnabas, "How much access to Shinra's secrets do they have?"

"Kids, you look like you're done eating," Ifalna said to the twins, "Gabe seems to be done as well, so why don't you two take him out back to play?"

"How come you're not kicking Aerith out?" Carlie asked.

"Yeah- you're talking about Avalanche stuff," Cassius pointed out.

"Aerith is finally old enough," said Ifalna, "I know we said you can listen once you turn eighteen, but something…special has happened."

"Believe me, it's nothing to be jealous over," Aerith insisted.

The twins got up from the table. Cassius went over to Gabe and let him down from his hi-chair. Together, the three children left the dining room.

Barnabas finished the last of his orange juice and set his glass down before answering Angeal's question: "Mostly we use our inside people to jam up information. That's how we've managed to get the upper hand in the Wutai War. Granted, until now, we haven't had any idea of what kind of info we should really look for."

"Avalanche is aiding Wutai?" Genesis asked, "Interesting…"

"We fight against the Shinra wherever they cause trouble," said Barnabas, "Wutai just happens to be the place that needs our help the most."

"You know…" Angeal confessed, "…if we hadn't met Sephiroth, there's a good chance we might have been fighting against each other. He was the one who clued us in as far as how rotten Shinra really is."

"If you two had been fighting for the Shinra, we really might have been in trouble," Barnabas admitted, "Sephiroth tells me you two are an even match for him.

"I'd like to introduce you to our leader. A man like you would be a valuable asset to our cause."

"It would be an honor, sir," said Angeal.

"I don't think my wife would want you up and about fighting," Barnabas said to Genesis, as Ifalna nodded in agreement. "But once whatever's wrong with you is taken care of, I would love to extend the same invitation to you. All the same, you're welcome to meet our leader as well."

Genesis nodded, looking quite pleased.

"Ifalna told me everything last night," Barnabas went on, "I wonder how many secrets the Shinra science department holds. Now, we don't have any spies working for that particular area, but…we do have a young hacker from Sector Seven in Midgar whose services we occasionally employ. I'll be sure to contact her at today's meeting…"

* * *

Aerith stepped into the meeting hall, which was already filled with over two-dozen people. It was an extra room inside their town hall, which was located underground, next to the library. She had never seen this room before, and was surprised with how small it was. In the back of the room was a large computer monitor, which contrasted with the mostly low-tech lifestyle of Cosmo Canyon. Indeed, Aerith's family didn't even own a TV set.

She glanced at Barnabas, who smiled sadly at her. She had been surprised at his invitation to come to the meeting, knowing he would never want her to get involved. But she knew he was now completely aware of what was going on; that the planet has chosen her to investigate "Jenova's children". Avalanche would be the best way to help her, as reluctant as he was. He had chosen to be reasonable, rather than resistant and over-protective.

Aerith walked up to him. "Thanks for doing this, Daddy," she said, "I suppose this will all give Avalanche some new direction in the fight against the Shinra.

Barnabas nodded, although his expression was grin. "Can't blame a guy for worrying about his little girl, though," he said as he touched her shoulder. "Sit anywhere you like, darlin'."

Aerith nodded and took a seat in between Sephiroth and Elfé. Angeal and Genesis sat behind the two girls, and Aerith quietly introduced Elfé to the two other swordsmen. Pleasantries and handshakes were exchanged, and right after that, Terrato stepped into the center of the room, thus quieting everyone down.

"We have some new faces here," Terrato announced, "Many of you already know Barnabas' daughter Aerith. We also have Sephiroth Crescent, Angeal Hewley, and Genesis Rhapsodos. Please give them a warm welcome, as they no doubt will prove to be a great asset to our cause."

The room burst into applause. Aerith, embarrassed, slid down a little in her seat, feeling her face and neck growing hot. Sephiroth and his friends managed polite smiles in response to the attention.

"Barnabas and I received word that Shinra's science department should be looked into, and as a result, we will be launching a new investigation into their matters. I have our Sector Seven contact on standby. Barnabas, if you would please…?"

Barnabas sat down at terminal, launching the video chat program, and dialing a number. Everyone watched the monitor as the dial-up screen appeared, and the standby sound effects chimed.

Suddenly, the image of a teenaged girl about the same age as Aerith appeared on the screen. She pushed a lock of brown hair out of her face and waved. "Hey, there," she greeted everyone.

"Afternoon, Majestica," Barnabas greeted the girl.

"No, no, no…" Elfé muttered, anticipating what would happen next.

Aerith stared at her, confused.

The girl's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I _told_ you not to call me that!" she snapped, "I hate that name, and as soon as I turn eighteen, I'm getting it legally changed! It's bad enough my parents had to die in that stupid military raid when I was four, but they _had_ to go and leave me with that god-awful name-!"

"-Sorry, sorry," Barnabas interjected wearily. "Good afternoon, _Jessie_."

Jessie sighed, as if her ranting had sapped her energy. "_Thank_ you. Now, was that so hard to remember?"

Elfé shook her head and leaned in next to Aerith. "Jessie's really a total sweetheart," she whispered, "She just hates it when people call her by her real name. One other problem is that she only listens to about 80% of what you say. It's why we only use her for technology related tasks. If anybody put her on the front lines, I'd give her about six months to live."

"Here's what's going on…" said Barnabas, "We've discovered that Shinra's science department may be playing a far greater role than just researching the potential of mako when it comes to powering people's homes. I want you to start focusing your energy on the science department, and I want you to include the following name in your search: Jenova."

"Jenova…" Jessie frowned. "Who's that?"

"The possible key to the mystery of SOLDIER, and how we might win the Wutai War once and for all," Terrato answered, stepping in front of the screen.

"Hi, Master Terrato," Jessie greeted. "Okay…how do you spell that? G-A-N…?"

"No, no…" Terrato began to correct her.

"She's also a terrible speller," Elfé whispered to Aerith.

The demi-Cetra couldn't help but giggle.

"…O-V-A…" Terrato finished.

Jessie finished scribbling the name down on a piece of paper. She then began tying a red bandana around her forehead. "Got it. I'll let you know first thing tomorrow how I'm progressing."

"Thank you, Jessie," Terrato said. He then pushed a button, ending the call.

Aerith stifled a gasp. That was the same girl from her dream! She was the one who was crushed with the two young men!

"You okay?" Elfé whispered.

The younger girl nodded unconvincingly.

Just then, the door opened. One of the young men that had been standing guard outside the meeting hall entered with two large bags of Wutain take-out.

Barnabas grinned at the newcomers. "Lunch time!" he announced.

"Eat heartily, everyone!" Terrato urged.

"I'll be right back," Angeal said as he stood up and began to walk to the door, taking his PHS out.

Aerith watched him, his back turned to her, and felt a lump in her throat as she realized he now bore a striking resemblance to the SOLDIER ghost in her dream.

"It's already happening…" Aerith whispered as everyone began swarming around the bags of food.

Elfé returned to her seat, carrying two boxes of dumplings. She held one out to Aerith, silently inviting the girl to dig in.

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry…" Aerith muttered.

* * *

Angeal frowned as he hung up his PHS, standing outside where he could get the best reception. He still hadn't reached his parents. What was worse was that they could only afford a landline, and no voice mail. If they weren't home, they would have no idea he had called, much less know that he really needed to talk to them.

"Hey, any luck?" Genesis called out as he stepped outside.

Angeal shook his head, looking worried now.

Genesis regarded his friend sympathetically. "Hey, don't worry about it. If we can't reach them by the end of the day, we'll call my house. Maybe one of the servants can head over to your place and see what's going on."

"Thanks, Genesis," Angeal said as he walked back to the tunnel. The two walked down the stone stairway leading back to the meeting hall.

"Sephiroth's saving us the sweet &amp; sour chicken," said Genesis, "Thankfully this thing isn't affecting my appetite. They're discussing Wutai right now."

"Genesis…" Angeal glanced at his friend. "What do you think about all of this business with Avalanche?"

The red-head smiled as they stopped outside the meeting hall. "I think it could be the ticket for becoming a hero. Don't you?"

Angeal chuckled as the guard opened the door for them. "I should have known you'd say something like that…"

* * *

The rest of the day passed without incident. Ifalna used healing magic to ease Genesis' malaise, hoping that any little bit might help his overall condition. It hadn't, but Genesis was grateful nonetheless. He found that he could now sleep easier, without suffering the bouts of nausea that had begun to plague him a few weeks ago. That was enough to make him happy.

Angeal continued to try calling his parents, but to no avail. Genesis called his parents, only for the maid to inform him that they were out visiting his mother's sister. Sephiroth offered to take Angeal's mind off of his troubles by walking through the desert with him. The pair had busied themselves slaying several Skeeskees and collecting their feathers, not exchanging a single word all the while. After the area was clear, they dueled, like they always had during their monster hunts. When Angeal disarmed Sephiroth, thus ending the "game" with him as the winner, the two looked up a the night sky. A shooting star streaked through the darkness, past the full moon.

"Gonna make a wish?" Angeal asked.

Sephiroth shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

As he closed his eyes in jest, he suddenly visualized Aerith, wearing that lovely halter top…

No. That was one wish he would not allow himself to make. He could envision Ifalna's fury if she were to ever know of the thoughts that had been creeping into his mind. Years ago, when he had visited Cosmo Canyon to attend Ifalna and Barnabas' wedding, he had finally gathered enough courage to talk about the incident near the harbor, when he had struck her in a fit of rage. He had begged Ifalna to strike him back, to ease his mind. She had said nothing. When he had closed his eyes and urged her, bracing himself for her open palm, or even a fist(he would have preferred that even more), she simply leaned in on her toes(he already stood about two inches taller back then) and gave him a kiss on the forehead, as he had done to Aerith when he first left for the temple. She had laughed and declared them to be even.

Sephiroth shook his head. Ifalna was not a violent person for the most part, but he had seen her get vicious only once, when a Shinra employee actually slapped the then-three-year-old Aerith for misbehaving(thus giving the girl her initial fear of strangers, due to the assumption that any grown-up might strike her). Her mother had tackled the man and managed to get in a few good hits before she was dragged away by a pair of guards to face the consequences. Aerith had been put under the care of a bored-looking female intern, and a very shaken Ifalna was returned to her apartment the next morning. Sephiroth knew she would have done it again in a heartbeat…for Aerith's sake.

"You okay?" Angeal asked Sephiroth, noting the nervous expression on his friend's face.

"Fine," he answered. He looked at the raven-haired swordsman. "Shouldn't I be asking _you_ that question?"

"I'm all tired out thanks to the beating you gave me," Angeal chuckled, "It'll make sleeping a lot easier."

"I won't keep you, then," Sephiroth said as he began to head back to town. Angeal followed him.

"I really like this family," Angeal commented as the two walked together. "Mrs. Duran…she's kind of like the only mother you've ever really had, isn't she?"

"Yes," Sephiroth agreed, "She is."

"She's the woman you met in the vents, isn't she?" Angeal realized. "You told me and Genesis about a mother and daughter who were Shinra prisoners. That's them…am I right?"

Sephiroth nodded. "Try to keep that to yourself, though. Ifalna is still trying to figure out how to tell the younger kids about the hell she endured. They went rather easy on Aerith, but Ifalna had it as bad as me…if not worse. Many Shinra workers either treated me like a god, or a lab rat. They only treated her as a lab rat…and a wet dream. I threatened a guard who made a rather raunchy innuendo concerning her once."

"Well, she _is_ very pretty," Angeal remarked, "So is Aerith. Must be weird for you. If she was thirteen the last time you saw her…that must be quite the change she went through since then."

Sephiroth did not respond.

* * *

Genesis took out his phone as he sat on the sofa the next morning. Everyone had just finished eating breakfast, and the living room was empty for now. Ifalna was off meditating before her shift at the hospital would start, and Barnabas had already headed off to fix somebody's stove. Cassius was in the back yard practicing with his nunchucks, and Carlie's new ocarina could be heard from outside as well. Aerith was in the kitchen reading Gabe a story. Angeal had already called his parents, but again, there was no answer. He and Sephiroth were outside with the mechanic, who had finally arrived to fix the truck, having been away all weekend.

He called his parents' house and waited. Instead of hearing the sound of the phone ringing, however, he heard the following recorded message:

_"The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and dial again. If you feel you have reached this message in error…"_

Genesis stared at his PHS in confusion. How was that possible? He hadn't dialed by hand and pressed a wrong number. He had used his contact list. Still, he dialed again, this time by hand.

_"The number you have dialed is-"_

He hung up again and stood up, walking over to the kitchen.

"See your face upon the clean water!" Aerith read from a pop-up book as she sat at the kitchen table. Gabe sat in her lap, hanging onto her every word while glancing at the fountain that stood up from the pages. "How dirty! Come! Wash your face!" She turned the page, and a stone well popped out. "This is a well. You might think that there is something to it, but in fact, it is an ordinary well."

"I climb inside!" Gabe suggested.

"Now why would you do that?" Aerith asked, amused.

"'Cause," Gabe answered.

Aerith smiled. That was Gabe's answer for everything lately.

"Ah, 'Welcome to Coneria'..." Genesis remarked as he saw the book Aerith held, "I used to love that book when I was a little boy."

Aerith smiled, but her expression faded as she saw the look on Genesis' face. "Are you okay? You seem worried."

"My parents' number isn't in service," Genesis answered, "Good thing the truck is getting fixed right now. I think we should go back to Mideel. Something isn't right."

"Hold on," Aerith urged him, "Maybe there's an explanation for that. Could there be a storm going on that's causing a power outage?"

"Maybe," Genesis said restlessly, "Is the library open yet? I'd like to check the Worldwide Network."

Aerith shook her head. "Not for another hour."

Genesis sighed. "And you don't own a TV either…"

"TV's nice when you're only allowed to move within a certain perimeter," said Aerith. "But ever since Mom and I escaped Midgar, we haven't missed it."

Genesis turned away, unable to shake the bad feeling he had.

"The newspaper should be arriving any minute now," Aerith reassured him, "Just hang tight. I can make you some tea if you'd like."

Genesis shook his head. "No, thank you. I'll just go get some fresh air."

He walked out of the kitchen. A moment later, Aerith heard the front door slam.

Just then, the back door slid open and the twins entered. Worried, about Genesis, Aerith closed the book and put Gabe down.

"Noooo!" the three-year-old protested, "You not done!"

"Cass…please, can you read to Gabe?" Aerith asked.

Cassius rolled his eyes. "What, so you can go run off with your boyfriend?"

Aerith crossed her arms defensively as she looked at her brother. "What are you talking about?"

"You're like Sephiroth's little shadow," Cassius teased her. "Even when I was little I remember you always tagging along with him the last time he was here when you were around. Then when you missed out on seeing him last year, you practically threw a tantrum!"

"I did not!" Aerith said, annoyed.

Carlie began to giggle.

"You too, Carlie?" Aerith sounded hurt.

"Stowy!" Gabe demanded.

Cassius rolled his eyes. "Fine," he said as he took the book, opened it up and began to recite: "Once upon a time, they all lived happily ever after! The end!"

"No! Bad stowy!" Gabe shouted, stomping his foot.

Aerith snatched the book from Cassius' hands and promptly smacked him over the head with it.

"Ow!" Cassius whined.

"Jerk," Aerith said as she dropped the book and walked out of the kitchen.

Gabe picked up the book, and began swinging it at Cassius.

"Hey! Whaddaya think you're doing?!" the ten-year-old protested.

"Jerk!" Gabe said loudly as he kept hitting his brother with the book.

Carlie burst out laughing.

"MOOOOOM…!"

* * *

"It won't be too long before we have this baby up and running again," the mechanic said cheerfully as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve.

"That is the best news I've heard all day," Genesis declared as he approached the truck.

"You've only been up for a little over an hour," Sephiroth pointed out.

"My parents' number is 'no longer in service'," Genesis announced.

"Oh no…" Angeal muttered.

Genesis nodded. "Right? I think we should go back to Mideel. I can go on for a bit while we check the situation back there."

"Hang on." Sephiroth held up his hand. "Maybe there's a power outage. I say we keep trying. One the library opens, we can check the weather on the Worldwide Network, or-,"

"-What about Carlos?" Angeal asked, "Don't you have him on speed-dial for when something breaks down?"

"Of course!" Genesis realized.

"Who's Carlos?" Aerith wanted to know as she approached the group.

"My family's gardener and personal handyman," Genesis answered as he took out his PHS. He then stopped as he noticed a boy riding by on a mountain bike, which had a large two-sided basket attached to the back wheel.

Aerith waved at the boy as he approached. He waved back, grabbed a rolled-up newspaper, and tossed it, where it landed on the front steps. Genesis put his phone away and went over to the steps to pick it up. The moment he looked at it, his eyes widened in horror.

* * *

The planet had spoken.

Ifalna's eyes opened and she stood up, having been in a deep trance as she sat in her "thinking chair" next to the bed she and Barnabas shared. Whenever the back yard wasn't available for meditating in, she would sit in the master bedroom, in the cozy little chair that she had bought years ago, when she and Barnabas were first married.

The Lifestream. The image of it was as clear as if it had truly been right in front of her. The very essence of all life, the swirling green mass could be condensed into the wonders known as materia. But the Lifestream could be summoned, and she had seen the place where it could be done. She remembered it all too well, because it was her first memory, from nearly twenty years ago:

The abandoned city…up north…not far from snow-capped mountains, and…the Northern Crater…where the Calamity had crashed into.

She had asked the planet how she would summon the Lifestream to help Genesis. It had answered thus: Ifalna would not be the one to summon it. The chosen one would. Ifalna understood.

Aerith.

She would have to leave Cosmo Canyon, and travel far away. Ifalna could already feel the knot in her stomach.

_My baby..._

A soft hum reached her ears, and she smiled, knowing the planet was reassuring her. Yes, she trusted the planet's judgment, and it had judged that the Lifestream itself would save Genesis. She smiled triumphantly.

He would live.

It was Aerith's horrified scream, however, that sent Ifalna running out of the bedroom, down the hallway, into the living room, and out the front door.

"COME BACK!" Angeal yelled from a few hundred feet away from the house, "GENESIS!"

Ifalna looked around, but the young invalid was nowhere to be seen.

"What the hell was that?!" the frightened mechanic exclaimed.

Sephiroth could only stare at the horizon in stunned silence as Angeal came running back to them.

"What happened?" Ifalna asked, alarmed.

"Someone's going to shoot him down if they see him!" Aerith exclaimed.

"…Somehow, I doubt he'll let that happen," Angeal said, "I'm more worried about the damage he'll cause…not the other way around. He seemed almost…crazed."

"It was whatever was in the newspaper!" Aerith said as she ran over to the mess that had once been the morning paper. She began sorting through it, trying to find some sort of clue as to what would cause that kind of panicked behavior.

"What's going on?!" Ifalna shouted.

"He flew off…!" the mechanic exclaimed in a panic, "He grew one large, black wing, and he flew off!"

Ifalna stared, not comprehending what was just said.

"It's true," Sephiroth declared wearily. "I could scarcely believe my own eyes, but what happened was true. The newspaper was delivered just a moment ago. Genesis picked it up, became agitated, and took off…with a wing, no less."

"Mom!" Aerith cried out as she ran to her mother, clutching a piece of newspaper in her hand. She held it out to Ifalna, whose eyes widened in horror.

"Oh no…" Ifalna whispered as she saw the headlines.

_BANORA LANDLORD SUSPECTED OF TERRORISM; ESTATE BOMBED, NO SURVIVORS, _it read.


	15. Chapter 4: All That Awaits

A/N: This chapter's shorter than the ones I've been writing. That's just how it's going to be, I suppose. Some chapters will be much longer than the others.

Shout-outs:

Greatazuredragon: That's a fairly accurate way to describe the Shinra.

badnephilim: I'll do my best not to cause too much carnage. :P And the dinner scene was actually my favorite part to write, next to Gabe's outburst with the picture book. ^_^

catxangel: Aerith helping Genesis may open up a whole other can of worms. Stay tuned!

Ardwynna Morrigu: One of the shittiest things about Aerith's death in canon is that the Cetra are never expanded upon. But, it does give me LOTS of room to get creative. :)

JazzQueen: Prepare to see many Shinra characters in these next few chapters.

* * *

Chapter 4: All That Awaits

Several days before Genesis Rhapsodos flew off into the clouds, President Shinra sat in his office with Professor Hojo, and a bearded, broad-shouldered man wearing a white lab coat similar to Hojo's.

"I'm sure you're both wondering why I've called you here," said the president, "What's more, you probably wonder why I'm meeting with the both of you, given the history between you two. Oh, I may not have been actively involved with the science department, but I do my research all the same, and I have my eyes and ears. I know there's no love lost between the two of you. However, you now both know the bitter taste of disappointment and failure…"

Both men glared at him, while avoiding each other's gaze.

"Dr. Hollander…" the president said as he stood up from his desk, and walked over to where the bearded man sat. "It is rather unfortunate that due to budget problems, Project Gillian was abruptly cut short all those years ago. Had both sides of the Jenova Project been allowed to co-exist up until now, perhaps things might have turned out differently. Perhaps, had young Sephiroth been kept in the company of your two test subjects, he might not have entertained the idea of running away. I had no idea he was so unhappy that he decided to escape the way he did."

"Perhaps if he had not been allowed to befriend the Ancient, she might not have poisoned his mind into doing what he did," Hojo said acidly.

"Sephiroth should have been socialized with other children besides a little girl eight years his junior," the president acknowledged, keeping his tone brisk and friendly for the sake of the discussion. "He was probably given way too much time to think. I often look back and wonder why I never introduced my own son to the boy, given their relative closeness in age. They would have inevitably worked together, anyway.

"But it's all water under the bridge. Time to put the past behind us, which I'll start by explaining why we're here right now: SOLDIER, despite its progress, is simply not enough to win the war. Our recruitment program only nets so many qualified applicants. I was thinking about expanding the program to include females."

"That will not work," Hojo said immediately, while Hollander shook his head silently in agreement. "All of the hosts in Project S and Project G suffered emotional…difficulties. Gillian Hewley left Shinra with severe depression, beyond typical post-partum. Lucrecia Crescent committed suicide by jumping out of a helicopter into a lake when we left Nibelheim, and let's not get into what happened with the woman who bore the failure that was injected with Hewley's recycled Jenova cells…"

Hollander stared at Hojo in disbelief. Not only did the man casually toss about the subject of his fiancée's suicide as if it were the weather, but he had dared to mention the third woman involved to the president himself…

President Shinra stared coldly at the frail middle-aged man. "Despite that…" he said icily, "…there is no conclusive proof that _no_ woman can ever be injected with Jenova cells. Many seemingly perfect males chosen to take part in the SOLDIER program were discharged due to problems, both physical and mental, but we've had more successes than failures. We should test the waters further and see if that may be the case with women. After all, we pride ourselves in being progressive. Many women's rights groups have pushed to allow women into the army. Why not oblige them, finally?"

"It takes years to train a good soldier," Hollander pointed out. "Increasing the number of SOLDIER candidates won't turn the war around in Shinra's favor- certainly not right away."

"Obviously, that is not the only solution I have in mind," said the president, "And my dear Dr. Hollander…I truly wish you hadn't fallen off the face of Gaia. I did, after a few years, consider continuing your research, but since I was unable to locate you, there was no point in bringing in your two boys…especially since you are the one who kept all of the notes."

"I still have them," Dr. Hollander said dryly.

The president nodded. "Good, good. You see…I believe they would be the perfect additions to a secret organization I had created back when I was still vice-president. I am putting a lot of trust in the both of you to keep quiet on the information I'm about to reveal." His face darkened. "I would hate to be either of you should you decide to betray that trust…"

"I understand," said Hollander, "I've kept secrets before…"

The look on the bearded man's face said it all. The president nodded somberly.

"And this secret?" Hojo asked impatiently, wanting to get back to his specimens.

President Shinra smiled a sinister smile. "Professor Hojo…right now, I'm feeling nervous. I've felt nervous for the past twelve years, ever since your son set free your specimens, who killed half the people in the science department; and then drove off into oblivion with the two last known living Ancients, after killing an entire security team. I have this feeling that one day, he will pop up out of nowhere and make things very difficult for me. I want you to be able to promise me that such a thing can never happen…that wherever Sephiroth is, he best remain there, and stay out of my way. Ideally, I would have loved to have him fighting for our cause, but he won't. And forcing him is too risky. Should we mess up in the slightest, he would slaughter us all. If he interferes, Sephiroth needs to die."

Hojo nodded impassively. "As you wish," he said.

Hollander looked at Hojo finally. "Your own son…" he said contemptuously.

"The father/son relationship can be a tricky one," Hojo said, looking back at his rival. "You will one day, understand that for yourself, should your recovery efforts succeed…"

Fuming, Hollander looked away.

"I do wish you luck in your little 'family reunion'," Hojo continued to taunt him.

"If you're finished with your little pissing match, I'll get to the point," the president said impatiently, "I intend to call for a truce with Wutai. We have bigger fish to fry, so to speak. Build up the army, locate Sephiroth, locate the two children of Project G, and the Ancients. We have the army concentrate on crushing Avalanche. We start secretly experimenting on injecting Jenova cells into strong, young, healthy girls. In fact…I have the perfect one in mind as the prototype."

Knowing that the president's knowledge of science could fit in his coffee cup, Hojo was not impressed with him offering scientific suggestions. Still, he forced himself to ask: "And who would that be?"

"The half-Ancient would be about seventeen by now, wouldn't she?" the president asked.

Hojo suddenly looked thoughtful. Maybe the president wasn't as brain-dead as he had assumed. "Well, honestly, I believe a younger girl would have been more ideal," he pondered aloud, "but…yes…I would be fascinated to see how she would endure the cells, considering her own innate restorative abilities."

President Shinra frowned. "I specifically mentioned that girl because she's no longer a small child. You've tested my limits many times with both Sephiroth and the half-Ancient in the past. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I will not stand to see a child tortured."

_No, you just prefer to torture them yourself,_ Hojo thought dryly, _I suppose we should all be thankful that your sick habit doesn't extend to girls, scientific specimens who can kill you, and your own flesh and blood…_

"I've given you chances due to your brilliance," the president went on, "but this is your final chance, Hojo. Disappoint me again, and you are through. Your fellow co-workers in the labs can handle SOLDIER maintenance just fine without you. You've taught them well over the years…perhaps _too_ well…"

Hojo bristled at the president's warning. How _dare _that man threaten to push him aside, after everything he had done for the company over the twenty-seven years he had worked for them?

"And this 'secret project' you want me involved in…?" Dr. Hollander pressed.

"Yes," the president said, suddenly cheerful. "Come to the front desk Monday morning, and I will send someone to escort you to the facility. In the meantime, consider yourself to be an esteemed guest of the Shinra corporation. Should you desire anything, just ask." He then turned back to Hojo. "You, Hojo, will simply report to work as usual. I will keep you in the loop, and notify you immediately once either Sephiroth or the Ancients are located. However, I want you to start scouting for other potential females. As ideal as the half-Ancient would be, we can't afford to put all of our eggs in one basket.

"And that…" he said grandly, "…concludes our meeting."

Both Hojo and Hollander stood up. As Hojo headed for the door, the president approached Hollander with his hand extended. The bearded man hesitated for a moment before shaking the CEO's hand.

"I'm delighted to have you back with us, Dr. Hollander," he said excitedly, "I'm looking forward to seeing amazing things from you." He clapped the man's back and walked him to the door of his office, opening it. "Have a pleasant day, gentlemen."

The two scientists left the president's office, walking to separate elevators. Hollander's arrived first and he stepped in, never casting a single glance at Hojo.

Once the elevator began to descend, Hollander smiled. Finally…after twenty-five years of living in bitter disgrace, his chance to right all the wrongs he had suffered before had come at last.

Everyone would see who the true genius was.

* * *

"What is this?" Hojo asked as he walked over to the back of one of the labs, where a recently-hired intern sat, writing notes with one hand while clutching a Support materia in the other. The two of them were the only people in the room.

"My thesis on the potential abilities in humans, resulting from fusing materia onto them," the intern answered, not looking up.

"Very interesting…" Hojo marveled, "I once experimented with that many years ago."

The intern looked up. "Did you?"

Hojo nodded. "Unfortunately, the experiment was a failure. Perhaps you should choose another subject for your thesis."

"Was every kind of materia used in your experiment?" the intern asked.

"No," Hojo admitted, "I suppose another scientist would have gone down the line of different types, but I'll admit I often don't operate in that manner. Many times, I am interrupted in my projects by new ideas for even more enticing experiments."

"A brilliant man such as yourself doesn't have a team to finish your experiments for you?" the intern asked, looking somewhat surprised.

"Shinra's budget is stretched to the last gil on the military," Hojo snorted derisively, "Had they given more funds to our department, we might have actually been winning the war. Now…" he recalled the meeting he had just come from, "…I wouldn't be surprised if we start hearing about surrender and peace treaties. It had all better be worth it...but to answer your question: no. I need someone with good organizational skills, and even tactical abilities, to arrange the right kind of team. I truly cannot be bothered with such things, but good luck getting the higher-ups to understand that."

The intern frowned. "You're the greatest scientist in the history of Shinra. How could they ignore your needs like so?"

Hojo smiled bitterly. "The same way they re-hired one of my greatest rivals. Shinra doesn't believe in letting people get too comfortable. One has to really work to maintain themselves in this company. As much as they desire my rival's brains, I'm sure they hired him as a proverbial kick in the ass, as far as I go."

"I thought your greatest rival was dead," the intern said, scowling. "Professor Gast?"

Hojo burst out laughing. "Now that's a name I haven't thought of in a long time. That man still causes me trouble from beyond the grave, but the rival I was referring to is Doctor Hollander."

The intern frowned. "Never heard of him."

Hojo laughed again. "Of course you haven't. But had things happened differently, it could have been him you would be standing here talking to, rather than me. Many years ago, something happened that set the course of Shinra, making its army everything it is today…which unfortunately, isn't much…though it could have been something amazing…"

He trailed off, staring wistfully into space, before snapping out of it. He regarded the intern carefully. "How much do you know about my work?"

"I've been told bits and pieces about one specific project from many years ago," said the intern, "That it was the project that eventually led to the creation of SOLDIER."

Hojo looked at the clock. "Come with me to the coffee shop and I'll explain to you the details," he said, "Don't worry about your materials. Since no one else is here, I'll lock the door so no one disturbs your things. I know how stupid the janitors can be when it comes to touching one's belongings."

The intern stood up. "Thank you, Professor. I'd be honored…"

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Hojo and the intern sat in a corner of the small café, each with a cup of black coffee in their hands, The intern sat, spellbound as Hojo told him about the Jenova Project, and all of the people involved.

"He might have won out, had he not decided to bite off more than he could chew," said Hojo, "You see, I focused everything I had on Sephiroth. Hollander? He decided he could turn our old friend Gillian into a new host of cells. We were only allotted so many Jenova cells to work with from the head of the science department.

"You see…when they decided to create yet another child…that's when Project G shot themselves in the foot. Recycling Jenova cells isn't going to give you the same results as using fresh ones. What's more…the vessel who carried the child was also injected with recycled cells. She managed to last eight months…the baby was born one month premature via C-section, and the mother died, leaving a gruesome-looking corpse behind. Had this been any other woman, Project G might have still been able to cut its losses. However…the woman, a young intern new to Shinra's science department, also happened to be the president's little sister: Jennie Shinra.

"Just before the president took over, he and the entire Shinra family discussed, and agreed to letting young Miss Shinra participate in the Jenova Project."

The intern nodded. "That makes sense. I could see how the Shinra would want one of their very own being bestowed the 'powers of the Ancients', even though it turned out that Jenova was no Ancient."

Hojo grunted in agreement. "I knew better than to get involved with that, but as I said before, Hollander was greedy enough. Had he been smart, he would have given the fresh cells to Miss Shinra, but he was also selfish. You see…he had fallen in love with Gillian. So he gave her everything, and probably made it _look_ like young Jennie was getting the priority treatment. Hollander only concentrates on what he _believes_ to be the right thing. Casting aside the daughter of the then-president was a very stupid thing to do, considering it's the president who has the final say over your paycheck.

"To make a long story short: it's a wonder the Shinra family didn't have Hollander's head after Jennie's supposedly agonizing death. But, Hollander's disappearing act may very well have saved his life, as it likely gave the Shinras enough time to get over their initial fury. But all the same, I can't help but wonder what our president has planned for Hollander after his work is done?"

"Hmm…" the young man said thoughtfully, "If Hollander was so disgraced back then, the question may indeed be: what does _he_ have planned for the Shinra after his work is done?"

Hojo smiled and nodded. "Indeed, he's only one of many people who will shake your hand and stab you in the back. Times are going to become quite interesting, lad. You couldn't have come to work here at a better moment."

The intern smiled back, adjusting his glasses. "I'm glad to hear that, Professor."

"I'll admit, I'm not very good with names, but if you'll indulge an old man and tell me yours, all the same?" Hojo asked, "You're at least smart enough to motivate me to remember yours."

The man chuckled. "As you wish, sir. My name is Fuhito."

* * *

Hollander sat at the bar on the very top floor of Shinra Headquarters, sipping away at a rum-&amp;-cola as he thought about how much the place had changed over the years. The last few floors of the building were still under construction when Project G had been unceremoniously canceled. Everything had been going so smoothly beforehand. Then Jennie Shinra's fiancée, a young colonel in Midgar's old army, had been killed during the siege of Junon, when the large port city was taken over by the Shinra. She had been weak enough as it was, but the death of her beloved was the final straw. She went into labor upon hearing the tragic news, and died giving birth to a healthy, but seemingly ordinary baby boy.

Hollander doubted that the child could have been a failure. Surely there must be _something_ about the boy that could have been worked upon. Had the project not been canceled, he would have been able to find out for certain. Now, all he had to go upon was that the child had been given to a wealthy landlord from Banora.

When the Shinra woman had died, Hollander had been shocked that such comparatively weaker cells had done so much damage. However, he was able to blame her demise on the mysterious Jenova cells, which as rumor had it, were driving Lucrecia Crescent mad during her own pregnancy. He had given Miss Shinra the lesser of the cells in secret, because he had been absolutely sure that the Shinra family would intervene if they knew, and grant an injunction allowing the fresh Jenova cells to be used on her. After all, it wouldn't have been the first time that the Shinra had bent the rules to suit their needs.

As for the other boy…Angeal…he knew that was what Gillian had planned to name the child, but he had no idea what had happened to him, or Gillian. No notice, no goodbye…she had simply disappeared with the child. Maybe she had moved on and found someone else…somebody else that the child would grow up calling "Daddy", or "Papa". It was probably for the best. God, what the hell did _he_ know about being a father?

He finished his drink, and took out his cell phone. It was time to move to the next part of his plan: find that lost Shinra child and convince him to help. Seeing how his own biological family had cast him aside upon birth, it would be relatively easy to make him resent them. The rest, would depend on the boy…no…young man, himself.

It was time to go back to Banora…back home. Hollander opened up the phone and began to dial.

* * *

Cissnei vaguely knew the two men who stood next to her in Veld's office. The man with the wild red hair was Reno. While he was good at his job, he was also notorious for being very anal when it came to acknowledging whether he was "on-duty" or "off-duty". He was also rumored to be a high-functioning alcoholic, and was an outspoken, flippant young man in general. The bald man with the goatee was Reno's work partner Rude. He was serious, and rarely spoke, except when spoken to. One would think that he and someone like Reno would not get on well together, but theirs was a working relationship that had been successful for over two years now.

As for Cissnei herself, she had been working for the Shinra since the tender age of thirteen…the same age that many young boys were when they set out to join SOLDIER. However, SOLDIER was a cake-walk compared to Shinra's Investigation Sector of the General Affairs Department…or Turks, for short. The strange nickname had come about as the result of a pun in the Wutain language, having to do with the word "assassin". Ironically, though Wutai had been at war with the Shinra for years, many Turks had once been ninjas hailing from Wutai, who had been unable or unwilling to live by the ninja code.

Cissnei was the youngest person to have ever joined the Turks, and while there were now a couple of kids younger than her in the organization, both had been older when they had first joined. She had now been a part of the organization for the past six years, having just celebrated her nineteenth birthday only days before. Those six years had been good to her, and she would not have changed a thing.

"Good morning," Veld greeted the three Turks, "I've called you in here because the science department has recently acquired an addition to their research team. Tomorrow, that man, Dr. Hollander, will be traveling to Banora on business. You three are to escort him, and Reno, you'll be piloting the helicopter."

"Yes, sir," Reno said with a nod.

"This is a straight-forward mission," the leader of the Turks went on, "and I don't expect any twists. However, one of course, can never be too careful." He picked up three folders from his desk, and handed one to each of the three other Turks. "Here's his file. You will read it tonight, and report to the roof of Headquarters at six a.m. tomorrow morning. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, sir," the three Turks chorused before they turned and left.

"Hey," Reno called out as Cissnei walked ahead of him and Rude, "You busy?"

Cissnei held up her folder. "Yes," she answered.

Reno opened his folder. "I see three pages of info, and with pictures, no less. We've got fourteen hours until we have to be up on the roof to head out. Reading this shit'll take half-an-hour, tops. Why don't you come with me and Rude to the Wall Market Pub?"

Cissnei looked at her folder reluctantly.

Rude spoke up: "He can be quite insistent at times. When it comes to grabbing a drink, he rarely ever lets up."

"Yeah, just one drink!" Reno urged with a grin, "Come on! Y'know, I've heard about you, but we've never really hung out or anything. I won't even complain if you get some lame girly drink."

Cissnei sighed. If it really was one drink, it would certainly be out of her system by the time she had to report for work. There was also certainly no harm in getting to know a couple of her co-workers. After all, if there was one thing she had learned during the last six years, it was that not everyone was a potential enemy. That would include Reno and Rude.

"_One_ drink," Cissnei emphasized as she walked over to the two men.

"Yeah…!" Reno said enthusiastically, "That's what I'm talking about!"

* * *

Cissnei had been almost certain that Reno would try to push more than one drink on her, but to her surprise, the man had been true to his word. She had ordered a hard lemonade that had given her a pleasant buzz, which would long since wear off by the time she had to report for work in the morning. After spending two hours playing pool in the back, and getting to know the two men she would be working with, she realized _why _Reno had been so accepting of Cissnei having only one drink: Reno had drank enough for the three of them, and now needed help in getting home to dry out. She and Rude helped the belligerent, stumbling redhead home, nearly getting into three fights along the way, as the foul-mouthed man shouted obscenities at anyone who looked at him the wrong way. That was nothing compared to having to help him up the five flights of stairs leading to his apartment, since the elevator in his building was broken.

Once Reno was tucked into bed, still wearing his uniform, no less, Cissnei and Rude left the apartment, walking down the stairs in an awkward silence, finally leaving the building, where they said goodbye and parted company.

Cissnei finally entered her tiny studio apartment half-an-hour later. She removed her jacket and grabbed an apple off of her kitchen counter. Sitting down at the table to eat, she loosened her tie, opened the folder, and began to read the files.

* * *

A/N: It was never really explained specifically what happened to Lucrecia after Sephiroth's birth, so I decided to fill in the gap in a way that would explain how she wound up in that cave behind the waterfall. Also, there's absolutely no information on Genesis' birth parents, so I had some fun with that. I honestly see some resemblance between him and Rufus, so it wouldn't be so far-fetched to make them cousins. ;)


	16. Chapter 5: Corrupted Souls

Pterodactyls: I'm not sure if Rufus had a fan club the way many of the more popular members of SOLDIER did. I thought people were simply scared of him, handsome or not.

Badnephilim: Female members of SOLDIER were seen in a lot more pre-compilation fics, until the prequels made it pretty clear that there really were no women in Shinra's army(even though I did put a woman in their old army when they erased Wolff's memories). Yet, plenty of female Turks. It's always made me wonder…

Greatazuredragon: You'll find out the answer in this chapter, as I introduce another nasty Shinra villain.

Ardwynna Morrigu: I don't think it'll complicate too much. Genesis wants to be a hero- not a ruler. Interesting…if Hojo were to take interest in Cissnei, it may eventually cause a breakdown between the science department and the Turks. You know how loyal those suit &amp; tie assassins are to one another…especially if Veld ever finds out what Hojo did to his daughter…

As for the rest of the Duran family…Fuhito may not know about the three new demi-Cetra children, but he knows where the original mother and daughter live. The question is whether or not revealing their whereabouts will benefit _him_. Regardless of him working with his hero, he's not above stabbing anyone in the back, as Before Crisis shows us. He could just as easily betray Hojo if the situation called for it. I honestly see him as very similar to Light Yagami from Death Note.

JazzQueen: I have my plans… ;)

Seriously, folks- sometimes the reviews I get wind up inspiring me to do something completely different than I originally intended. For that, I thank you all.

* * *

Chapter 5: Corrupted Souls

Hollander looked around as he and his small Turk entourage entered the main area of Banora Village. The place hadn't changed much in twenty-five years. The fountain still decorated the center of the town square, which was still flanked by the two windmills. The cobblestone road still wound unevenly around the timber-framed buildings, only one of which had been built since the days of Project G. In the distance stood another windmill, with many palm trees scattered about the landscape.

Hollander had known about Genesis living here, but it had been a total shock when he found out before leaving, that Gillian Hewley had moved back to Banora. She had married a local miner, who had taken _her_ name. His prediction had been correct. Somebody else was Angeal's father…regardless of the fact that he had sired the boy. It seemed like a whole other lifetime ago. He really did think once(albeit briefly) that he might have a future with Gillian and the boy. But she had accused him of not being the man she had hoped for. She had begun to have regrets.

All of the mothers ended up having regrets. Lucrecia Crescent supposedly was having nightmares…"visions", as she claimed them to be, of her child committing atrocities. Jennie Shinra fretted that her son,along with herself and her fiancé, would be used as puppets and never have lives of their own. Gillian cried constantly, lamenting that this whole experiment had been a mistake. She had even wanted to have an abortion. She had threatened to do one on herself, until Hollander warned her what the Shinra would do to her if she tried to harm herself or the baby. She would spend the rest of her life locked up in an asylum…unless the company decided she was entirely too much trouble, and have her snuffed out.

The Hewleys, along with the Rhapsodos family, had been kept under surveillance from the end of Project G, up until Sephiroth had escaped from the labs. After that disaster, the president had decided to wash his hands of the Jenova Project altogether, and canceled the surveillance.

Now, desperate times were making him reconsider the Jenova-hybrid soldiers once again. President Shinra had been more than accommodating when Dr. Hollander had asked to go back to Banora. Not only did he need to collect some things from his old work area in the Banora Underground, but both men were hoping that Hollander's history with Gillian would convince Angeal to seek a relationship with his biological father. Lazard, SOLDIER's director, would have been ideal to speak with the two families, but he was far too busy to leave Midgar.

The scientist wondered exactly how much Angeal knew about all of this. It would certainly be a lot for a young boy to handle. He knew from the surveillance that the two boys had somehow become friends, despite Gillian marrying a miner, and effectively retiring from science to look after her son. That made them among the poorer families in Banora, in contrast to the Rhapsodos family's wealth.

However, Gillian had called Project G a mistake, which made Hollander believe that she would never tell Angeal nor Genesis anything, if she could help it. Hollander's arrival might very well shake those two young men to the core.

"What's next, Dr. Hollander?" Cissnei asked as she looked around.

"We get a drink," the man replied as he scratched his beard.

"I think I like this guy," Reno said cheerfully.

"There's a little hole-in-the-wall pub that was always the best place to go to get the latest gossip…" said Hollander, "…not to mention a good lager or pale ale."

Cissnei nodded. He was certainly different from Professor Hojo, whom she had escorted to a conference once. While Hojo was clearly an ivory-tower academic type who cared for little more than his projects, Dr. Hollander seemed to be connected to the real world despite his own scientific brilliance. Furthermore, only the interns wore T-shirts underneath their lab coats, but Hollander wore a bright yellow one bearing the name of Banora's signature drink.

"Follow me," said Hollander as he began walking.

* * *

"Nice!" Reno commented as they entered the basement pub sometime later. It was situated below a cheap inn where Hollander and the three Turks had checked in, leaving most of their things in the "family suite": two rooms connected by a single door.

Reno and Rude would be sleeping in one room that had two twin beds, while Hollander would occupy the large bed in the other room. There was a sofa in the corner that Cissnei would sleep on, thus making her the first line of defense if anyone were to come after the scientist. However, it was doubtful that any kind of incident would occur.

The pub was dimly-lit, but filled with a fair amount of customers. Indeed, it was five-thirty, and the working population were in the midst of "happy hour". In the corner was a jukebox playing rock and roll classics from Hollander's youth. There were two ratty-looking pool tables in the middle of the bar, one of which was being used by a few miners. The other was empty.

Hollander looked around for a moment. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He handed Reno a few gil notes. "That'll buy you a game of pool and a couple of songs," he said. "I'm more likely to hear things if you're not crowding around me."

"Alright." Reno nodded as he took the money. He and the others went to the empty pool table. As soon as Reno inserted the coin, the balls were released from the depths of the table. Rude took them and began lining them up inside the triangular rack.

Satisfied, Hollander went over to the bar counter and sat down on a stool. "One pint of lager, my good man," he called out to the bartender.

The man behind the counter looked up, and his eyes widened in happy recognition.

"Roy?!"

Hollander took a good look at the bartender that was now grinning at him. Damn it, the face was familiar, but he was drawing a blank.

"Roy Hollander!" the bartender exclaimed, "God, it's been so long! …It's me! Fast Frankie Thunders! High school track, remember? We used to conquer the relay races against the other villages, you and me!"

Ah, that was it! Hollander forced a smile. "Frankie, of course!" He held out his hand. "How are you?"

"I can't complain," Frankie said as he shook his old teammate's hand heartily. "The life of a bachelor is the life of a king!"

"And here I thought maybe some good woman would steal your heart and get you settled down," Hollander kidded.

"Steal my heart? More like steal my balls for ten years and then steal our kids and half my paycheck in alimony," Frankie snorted, "At least that's what seems to have happened to all the other guys on the team- especially the ones stupid enough to move to Midgar. I always said Midgar was the land of the ball-less wonders. What about you?"

Hollander held up his left hand. "No ring here," he admitted.

"Solidarity!" Frankie laughed appreciatively. "So, where you been for the past twenty-something years? You were doing a bunch of stuff in the Underground with Gillian Hewley, I remember. You guys seemed to be a bit of a hot item, if I recall…"

He then trailed off, staring at Hollander's face.

"Shit…" he sighed. "He looks like a clean-shaven version of you…especially when he forgets to slick his hair back."

"Angeal comes here?" Hollander asked.

"Well, more like he gets dragged in here. His best friend drags him and their other friend in here every so often. Angeal, though, he always gets something watered-down. When his friends get drinks in them, there's a fifty-fifty chance they'll start shouting at each other. Then Angeal is the peacemaker and gets them settled down."

Hollander smiled. He had been indifferent to Frankie in high school, but considering that his old track teammate was now a bartender, and privy to all kinds of secrets people wouldn't normally tell while sober…well, he was willing to pretend as though they were bosom buddies, as the man was making them out to be. On top of that, he knew Angeal as well.

This was one of the differences between himself and Hojo. Hollander knew it paid to at least _act_ friendly toward others.

"Well, you pretty much have the reason I'm here, then," said the scientist.

Frankie nodded sympathetically. "Look, I won't ask you why you left, but I guess if I had a kid that was all grown-up, I'd wanna at least get to know 'em a little before the Lifestream calls me back. It's a fucked-up world we live in, and shit happens. I ain't gonna judge you for not being in the picture. Lots of fathers get fucked over when it comes to being able to see their kids."

"I wasn't…'fucked over'," Hollander admitted, "I knew Gillian and the boy could do better without me. But…things change." _Like my chance to 'fuck over' the Shinra, and get help in doing so. It would certainly be a lovely way to bond with my son…_

* * *

"This place really is the sticks," Reno remarked as he aimed the pool cue carefully. He and Rude were playing against Cissnei. The scrawny redhead hit the cue ball, knocking it into a striped ball, which bounced against the corner pocket.

Cissnei stepped forward while Reno growled in frustration. She leaned forward, taking her aim. Knocking the cue into one of the solid balls, it knocked another of its kind into one of the side pockets. The first colored ball followed shortly after.

"My turn again," she announced, pleased with herself.

"Where'd you learn to play?" Rude asked, somewhat impressed.

"The 61st floor," Cissnei answered, "They've got a pool table underneath that big tree in the center."

"I wouldn't know," Reno grumbled as he watched her sink another ball.

"Maybe if you didn't spend so much time in Wall Market, I wouldn't be beating you so badly," Cissnei teased.

"Maybe if you blah-blah-blah…!" Reno imitated Cissnei speaking in a shrieky high falsetto.

"Hmm…" Rude grunted as he held his phone and looked at the screen.

"What's up?" Reno asked his partner.

"Mass text," said Rude, "Check your phones. It must have been sent out while we were out of range."

Both Reno and Cissnei pulled their phones out of their pockets and checked them.

"Yeah, I didn't feel my phone vibrate," said Reno, "Shinra technology at its finest? Yeah right…"

"Well, I'm not sure why they sent it to you guys…" Cissnei said, glancing at the message, "…It's a special program they're creating for _female_ members of the Turks."

"It's 'cause Rude and I are so gorgeous," Reno joked, "Our physical beauty often gets us mistaken for the fairer sex."

"Or maybe Mr. Veld wants all of us to know," Rude stated.

"Rude, can't you go with me on a joke just once?" Reno complained as he put his cue behind his neck, hanging his arms from either side of long stick.

"You specifically said I was the straight man," Rude pointed out. He then looked at Cissnei. "What do you think about this? They seem to be offering a good deal of money to participants."

"'This experiment will be using some of the same enhancements given to members of SOLDIER.'," Cissnei read from the text, "'All participants will be required to sign a non-disclosure wavier.' Hmm…"

"Well?" Reno prodded.

Cissnei frowned. "I haven't heard any whisperings about this before. Usually when something new develops, there's always rumors that we Turks pick up on. But this is completely out of the blue…at least as far as I know. What about you guys?"

"First time I heard it mentioned," said Reno.

Rude nodded in agreement.

"Think we should ask Mr. Science Man, then?" Reno asked, gesturing ahead, "Here he comes now."

Indeed, Dr. Hollander was walking over to the others. His expression seemed rather cheerful.

"Who's winning?" he asked.

Rude pointed to Cissnei.

"Turns out she's a pool shark," Reno grumbled.

Hollander laughed heartily. "Wonderful!" he said.

"Doctor…" Cissnei said hesitantly, "This text was sent out to all members of the Turks. Do you know anything about this?"

She handed her phone to the bearded man, who scrolled down the message, frowning.

"Hojo's jurisdiction," he said finally as he gave Cissnei her phone back. "I didn't see any security restrictions in the message, so I'll just tell you: the president decided just the other day to open up SOLDIER to females. Personally, I doubt that'll expand the army's ranks. The old army's ratio was fairly low, with women only making up about 15% of soldiers. The current SOLDIER program is much more rigorous, and women only make up about 6% of the non-enhanced infantry."

Cissnei looked thoughtful in response to what the man said.

"You talk a lot," Reno commented good-naturedly.

Rude said nothing.

"Well, I suppose we should head to my old laboratory," said Hollander, "I'm pretty sure my things will still be there, as I doubt there's anything there worth ransacking aside from some computers. People here were never very technologically inclined, though."

"They could sell computers to a fence," Reno suggested.

Hollander grinned. "In my experience, they never accepted those. Too hard to get rid of."

"Well, well!" Reno remarked, "Just what were _you_ up to in your younger days?"

"Ah, the stories I could tell…" Hollander laughed as he walked toward the door.

* * *

The sun was still out as they stepped outside, and began walking through the village square once again. On the other side was the path that would lead to the Banora Underground- an old network of caves that ran underneath the village. Banora was home to many natural caverns and waterways, which the Shinra had taken advantage of long ago and built several laboratories, and even a prison inside of them.

Hollander and his entourage walked silently through the small crowds of people hurrying home. Now that the sun was setting, the miners were finished with their 12-hour shifts, and were all on their way home, or to the pub. While many of the workers glanced at the three Turks surrounding Dr. Hollander, nobody had the nerve to say anything.

Banora had pretty much been founded by the Shinra, and many of the old-timers living there had settled in the town on the company's gil. However, when the Shinra had pulled out of Banora, many of the residents, lured there by the prospect of a grand payout, found themselves without the financial means to leave. Thus, a lot of people felt cheated by the Shinra, who had tricked them into a dead-end lifestyle of backbreaking rural work. Many promising scientific interns had found themselves eking out a meager existence through farming and fishing. While Genesis' juice company had boosted the local economy slightly, there was an air of resentment toward the Shinra by the middle-aged generation. Such resentment was made worse when many of their sons had set out to join SOLDIER, and found success…or got killed.

However, the reputation of the Turks preceded them wherever they went, and Banora was no exception. Even though several older miners glared at the sight of the three young adults wearing their black suits and ties, no one had the courage to speak out, let alone do anything else.

Finally, they reached the road that would take them to their destination. Once they were alone, Hollander began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Reno asked.

"Some of the people that passed us by," Hollander explained amusedly, "One was a rival of mine from university. He came here during what some like to call the 'Project Underground Exodus'. Now he's covered in soot. He's probably been a coal miner for the entire time he's lived here."

"What's 'Project Underground'…whatever you said?" Reno asked half-heartedly, desperate to make conversation in order to stave off his increasing boredom.

"This town was initially supposed to be the site of a large scientific community," Cissnei answered as they made their way down the path through the countryside. "However, funding was abruptly cut, and many of the people chosen to take part were stranded."

"How do you know about all that?" Reno asked. That hadn't been in the papers that Veld had given them.

"I did a little extra research," Cissnei replied.

"Sometimes, it's rather refreshing to see some people get a taste of humility," Hollander chuckled again.

Cissnei fought the urge to scowl. Wasn't that exactly what had happened to Hollander when he had been given the same treatment all those years ago? Now that he was reinstated, did he now think he was better than his former colleagues?

Finally, the reached the large cave-like entrance to the Banora Underground, which was lit only by a couple of street lamps.

"There's someone over there," Reno said quietly.

"Huh?" Hollander looked around.

"Near the entrance, Doc." Reno pointed ahead.

Hollander glanced ahead and saw a silhouette standing in front of the entrance, and froze as he instantly recognized the figure. For a moment, he briefly wondered if he had been transported back in time.

"Gillian…" he said, his voice thick.

The figure turned and spotted him, stepping into the light of the setting sun. Now he could see her more clearly. Lines on her face, grey in her hair, but still the same face that occasionally appeared in his dreams. What happened to the fierce brilliance of her eyes, though? Gone and replaced by the wear and tear of age and stress?

God, but getting old was a wretched thing. _Women truly do age like milk_, he thought.

"Roy…" she whispered back.

Reno, Rude and Cissnei stood off to the side wearily. Hollander noticed Reno's hand on his weapon, and burst out laughing.

"Relax," he told the young man, "Does she _look_ like an assassin to you?" He then turned to her. "What brings you here?"

"Reminiscing," she said, "Though not in the way you might think. My son and his friends used to play here when they were younger. I tried to stop them from coming, but that only made the place more enticing to all of them, so I gave up. I'm glad most of the areas are sealed off."

Her son and his friends. From what Frankie had told Hollander, Genesis would have been one of said friends.

"You said you were done with the Shinra when they cut the funds to our work," Gillian commented, looking at the Turks and then back at Hollander questioningly.

"For twenty-five years, I _was_ done," he said, "But they made me an offer I couldn't pass up."

He glanced at the Turks. He would never be able to tell her his true intentions so long as they were in earshot. When the president had assigned them to accompany him on his trip to Banora, he had been extremely annoyed. He knew they weren't here for his protection. He had fallen off the grid for a quarter-of-a-century. While most of the time had been spent drinking, going over his old notes, and continuing to research mako science, they didn't know that. He was fairly certain he would be the subject of many investigations to come. Therefore, he had burned his old personal journals- the only evidence of his plans. No one would know of his intentions to shake things up from the inside.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gillian said sadly.

"Gillian…" he said, "I want to meet him."

The old woman stared at Hollander, looking surprised.

"A long time ago, I told you it was…" he stopped and glanced back at the Turks. "Would you mind waiting back at the inn?"

"I'm afraid that's against our orders," Cissnei answered.

_Figures._ Hollander turned to look at Gillian again.

"Look, let's give the man _some_ space," Reno suggested, "I get the feeling this is heading into soap opera territory. Who says we can't keep an eye on him from, say, twenty feet away, like we did at the bar?"

Rude shrugged. Cissnei paused to consider the idea. Finally, the female Turk stepped back several feet. Reno and Rude followed suit.

Hollander sighed, relieved. He couldn't be sure that one of his "bodyguards" hadn't sneakily "bugged" something on him like his messenger bag. However, he felt a little easier talking to his old flame and co-worker without the young trio standing right behind him.

"When you told me that you didn't care to see me anymore," he continued, "I told you that was just as well. I never had any desire to be a father. I came from the bar just now, where I heard from the locals that you had married. I'm glad. I'm sure that you found yourself a good man that Angeal can be happy to call his father.

"However, can you blame me for being curious? Not just to see the results of our work, but…to see my biological legacy."

"He thinks my husband is his real father!" Gillian protested worriedly, "I didn't want him to ever know about you! If he found out he was created to be some kind of monster…!"

Hollander stared impassively at her, saying nothing.

"Angeal is a good man!" Gillian told him, "He has two best friends, he makes a decent living working two jobs, and yes- he's very smart and exceptionally strong."

"The Shinra want him," Hollander got to the point.

Gillian's face seemed to whiten instantly.

"No…!" she whispered furiously, "I won't have it!"

"I think that's up to him and the Shinra," said Hollander, "don't you think?"

"He's against the Shinra anyway," said Gillian, "He was excited about the SOLDIER program when it first came out, but just as quickly as the excitement came, it vanished. He dislikes the Shinra. He has absolutely no intention of ever working for them!"

Hollander tried to hide his smile. Angeal was against the Shinra? This was too perfect!

"And what of Genesis?" Hollander asked. "You were tailed by spies until 1990. As of then, Angeal and Genesis were reported to be inseparable."

Gillian's face whitened.

"Come now, my dear," Hollander chuckled, "Did you really think they'd just let you fall off the face of Gaia?"

"Why now?" she asked.

"Project S failed. The subject, a boy named Sephiroth, escaped the labs when he was thirteen years old, killing many people and setting free every last specimen in the science department, which in turn caused the deaths of several innocent people there."

Hollander kept his eyes on his ex-colleague/lover as he thought he saw some kind of reaction flicker across her sad eyes. But perhaps it had been his imagination. He continued:

"It was also the reason why your surveillance was stopped. The president had declared the entire Jenova Project to be a failure."

"Except for the minimal injections of Jenova cells into members of SOLDIER, am I correct?" Gillian asked dryly.

Hollander smiled appreciatively. "You're still very clever, Gil…" he remarked.

"Given my personal experience with it, don't you think I'd recognize the effects when I see them?" Gillian pointed out. "I watched the propaganda on TV just like everyone else when the program first opened up. The parts where the boys would heal quickly? Their imperviousness to extreme temperatures? You remember when we took that weekend trip to Icicle Inn? How I was able to walk around outside with no overcoat."

"No clothes at all, if I remember…" Hollander kept his voice especially low, not wanting the Turks or anyone else walking around them to hear. "That was, after all, the weekend that Angeal was conceived…"

"Don't," Gillian said sharply, "I love my son. But I hate the fact that he's half yours. I'm glad he turned out to be nothing like you. You put your work before _everything_…even morals."

"Just let me talk to him," said Hollander, "It's your fault you lied to him about his father- you _and_ your husband, actually."

"Angeal just left town," said Gillian, "Genesis, our other helpless victim, became very ill over the past couple of months. Our wonderful experiment? Well, I'm pretty sure it's the reason why Genesis is so sick. No one can figure out what's wrong with him. He has a cut that won't heal, he's fatigued, and he just doesn't look right. They're searching for a cure."

Hollander's eyes widened in alarm. "You have to tell me where they are, then! If it's the Jenova cells, then _I_ can find a cause, and maybe a cure!"

Gillian glared at him. "Haven't we done enough damage as it is?"

"Where are they, Gillian?" Hollander demanded.

"Goodbye, Roy," Gillian said coldly. She turned to walk away.

"Goddamnit, woman!" Hollander growled as he grabbed her arm and spun her around. "You _tell_ me where those two are! I will _not_ let Genesis waste away!"

"You're hurting me!" Gillian cried.

"I would let her go if I were you." he could hear Rude speaking in his ear. Hollander turned to see all three Turks standing right behind him, poised for action.

"Our orders were for you to come here and speak to the families of Project G without incident," Cissnei added. "You're about to create a disturbance…and possibly commit assault."

"We really can't let that happen," Reno finished. "Let the lady go, alright?"

Hollander took a deep breath, before releasing his grip on Gillian. He held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. I'm just very concerned, is all."

"Yes…" Gillian said, looking away. "But not for Genesis. As always, you're concerned for yourself. You haven't changed one bit, Roy."

"We'll find those two one way or another," Hollander promised darkly. "You know that Shinra gets what they want."

"And so do you…eventually," Gillian pointed out. "I'm just wondering what it is that _you_ want…"

She walked away.

"What now?" Reno asked.

"I don't think that first beer took," muttered Hollander, "I could use another."

"What about Mr. and Mrs. Rhapsodos?" Cissnei asked, "Weren't you planning to speak with them?"

Hollander frowned. "I may have to re-think things," he said, "Let's just go to my old lab for now. There must be some kind of way to entice those boys. What is it you say when you're trying to recruit potential candidates for SOLDIER?"

"Not our jurisdiction," said Rude, "You'll want to ask Tseng about that. He's the one who mingles with SOLDIER."

"Or if you really wanna get involved in military stuff, try cozying up to Heidegger," Reno suggested. "Being a scientist with your security level, you'd probably get an audience with any of the executives."

"Thanks for the tip," said Hollander. "Come on- let's go inside…"

* * *

She had only seen him once, when making her final trip to Midgar to receive her payout for taking part in the Jenova Project. Gillian had signed the paperwork while Angeal slept in the little sling she wore around her shoulders.

Professor Hojo had caught her on the way out, and pointed out the tiny silver-haired baby sleeping peacefully in the arms of a nurse. Gillian had offered her condolences over the tragic death of Hojo's fiancée, Lucrecia. He had responded absently: "Hmm? Oh, yes, thank you." He then proceeded to talk about the infant's already heightened awareness, asking her about Angeal, like a competitive stage parent backstage at a pageant.

When Angeal had brought home a new friend, the boy's silver hair had jarred her. When her son had introduced him as "Sephiroth", her heart skipped a beat. But she said nothing, and welcomed him to their home. Perhaps even _because_ of his past, she was always welcoming to the young monk initiate.

When asked about his past, he had replied that his mother was dead, and he had run away from his father. He refused to say anymore, other than some friends of his had arranged his trip to Mideel to join the Gaian temple. She could see the look in his eyes, though; a look of a boy who'd had to grow up too quickly, and was only now able to unwind thanks to his friendship with the other two Jenova test subjects.

How ironic was it that the three of them would find each other and become inseparable?

For years, Gillian had kept Sephiroth's secret, happy to know she was undoing some of the horrible things she had taken part in. Every backyard sleepover she allowed, every meal she prepared, and every cookie she baked for Angeal and his friends, was one more step toward normalcy. She had started allowing herself to believe that her son and his best friends might actually be able to lead _normal_ lives, living in quiet, blissful obscurity.

She had been deliberately fooling herself all that time. Genesis was now falling apart, likely because of what was done to him in the womb. Hollander wanted both him and Angeal, which meant her secret would be revealed. And wherever Genesis and Angeal went, so did Sephiroth. What would happen when _his_ whereabouts were discovered?

Gillian now sat in her kitchen alone, waiting for her husband to come home. He had known everything- she had told him all about it. He told her for years that Angeal needed to known the truth. However, it never seemed to be the right time. Years turned into decades. No more putting it off, though. She would talk to her husband, and let him know she intended to leave town. Her husband would probably offer to come with her, but he needed to stay behind and work, earning every gil they needed to get by. It would be less expensive if she travelled alone. She had to get to Cosmo Canyon. Angeal needed to hear the truth from her before Hollander could get to him.

She just hoped he wouldn't hate her…

* * *

Hollander had spent nearly half-an-hour in his old study deep inside the Banora Underground, while the three Turks had stood outside, guarding the door. He went through his old things, collecting everything that he deemed to be important. His mind was working extra hard, trying to come up with an idea of how to draw out his two former test subjects. Finally, the wheels began to turn as soon as he loaded up a cardboard box with the few items he would be taking with him(several old floppy disks' worth of notes, an archaic desktop computer that still worked, and his favorite biology textbook from college).

He announced to the Turks upon arriving back at the inn, that he wanted to depart early in the morning.

It was half-past noon the next day when the helicopter finally arrived at Shinra Headquarters, landing on the roof. While the Turks headed toward Veld, who was waiting for them on the roof with new orders apparently, Hollander stepped inside the elevator and rode down to the 66th floor, where the executive offices were.

Hollander was supposed to visit the top-secret facility that the president had promised he would be working in. However, he had been informed over the phone during the ride back that security clearance was still being worked out. Typical.

He recalled how trigger-happy Heidegger, head of Public Security, was known to be, and wondered if the man might be worth getting to know. That kid Reno might have been on to something when he had suggested Hollander get acquainted with the top brass. Depending on how well he was able to gage the man, he wondered if Heidegger, or possibly even a few wild members of SOLDIER, might be able to cause some kind of activity that might attract the attention of the general public. If the public paid attention, and Genesis and Angeal were among the public…

The only problem was finding Heidegger's office.

"You look lost," said a female voice.

Hollander turned around and saw a striking blonde woman dressed in red standing before him.

"You wouldn't happen to know where I might find Heidegger's office, would you?" he asked, "The last time I remember, it used to be around here."

"They moved it twelve years ago after that terrorist attack," said the woman, "It's on the other end of the floor…however, I might be able to help you. Heidegger is…well…an idiot. I would know, considering how often we wind up having to work together."

"Are you his secretary?" Hollander asked, amused that such a woman would openly call her boss an idiot.

The blonde looked furious. "I'm in charge of the weapons department, I'll have you know!" she snapped.

"Oh…!" Hollander looked surprised. "I apologize. The last time I used to work for Shinra, the head of weapons was a man named Luitpold."

The woman scowled. "Have you been living under a rock?" she asked bluntly. "Luitpold dropped dead of a stroke four years ago. I've been running things ever since."

Hollander looked at the woman once again. She was young- clearly no more than thirty. Perhaps she was a prodigy of sorts?

The woman noticed him looking at her. Misinterpreting the look as a flirtation of sorts, she then smiled and held her hand out. "My name is Scarlet," she said, "And you are…?"

"Dr. Hollander," the scientist introduced himself, shaking Scarlet's hand.

"Well, Doctor," she purred, "You're lucky I like ruggedly handsome men. I'll forgive you for assuming I was Heidegger's secretary. You do know the new term is 'administrative assistant', right?"

"I suppose I haven't been keeping up with the times," Hollander admitted.

"Why don't we step into my office?" Scarlet suggested, "As I said, Heidegger is an idiot. I'm sure I can help you better than he can."

She turned and walked down the hall, gesturing with her finger for him to follow her.

Hollander rolled his eyes and she turned her back toward him as they walked. The president certainly hadn't changed. A hopeless pansexual(the rumors of his sick tastes still followed him to this day), the president was known to hand out promotions to young women who did not deserve them. Hollander would not be surprised if this woman was such a case.

"Ah!" Scarlet said suddenly as she raised her index finger, "Your name sounded familiar. Now I remember! You had recently made a trip to Banora, did you not?"

"I returned this morning," Hollander said with a nod.

Scarlet smiled. "Then it's a good thing we found each other. The fact is that Heidegger is busy throwing a tantrum over the president's decision to stop the war with Wutai. I'd be rather down in the dumps myself, except I was recently given new orders in light of the sudden amount of free time I'll have now."

"I don't follow," said Hollander as they both sat down on a small settee near Scarlet's desk.

"The president asked me to take care of any problems you encounter," Scarlet announced.

Hollander's eyes widened. Perhaps this might be a window of opportunity, after all.

"If I told you that certain residents of Banora were allied with Avalanche, but I had no conclusive evidence…?" Hollander said hopefully.

Scarlet smiled wickedly. "Evidence is always easy to plant after the fact. If you're thinking what I believe you're thinking…" She trailed off and looked hopefully at Hollander.

"Do it," he said.

"So decisive," Scarlet purred, "You and I are going to get along beautifully, Doctor."

"I would also like to see whatever you do become public knowledge," Hollander added, "I want the world to know that the Shinra took care of these people."

"Ah, the head of P.R. is a very easy person to work with," said Scarlet, "It should be no problem at all. I've got enough dirt on him that he'll do anything."

"Get it done, then," said Hollander, "I hope to read about it in the next couple days, along with everyone else…"

Scarlet leaned forward. "Consider it done," she said conspiratorially.

Hollander smiled at the woman. This was exactly what he needed: someone who could provide muscle. Even more- she was clearly the type to act now and ask questions later.

Perfect.

* * *

A/N: It didn't really seem like Hollander got much development aside from his "Wah! Don't kill me, you need me!" excuses as he strung Genesis along. I wanted to give him additional qualities beyond being an asshole and a coward. Thus, I decided to make him a foil to Hojo, and give him more of a charming sociopathic appeal(as opposed to Hojo who never puts on an act). And his fanon first name shall be Roy. ^_^

Eventually, we'll catch up with our heroes, who will likely be wondering what to do next. The planet says go north, while the newspaper says go south. Decisions, decisions...


	17. Chapter 6: Tormented Souls

Shout-outs:

badnephilim: Vincent likely won't enter the story until we get to the timeline of the original game. Right now, we're in the Before Crisis/Crisis Core timeline, which is 2002. Vincent will be in the saga, but probably won't appear until the next story, which picks up in 2007. Granted, I may decide to change the direction of this story, as I already did that when I wrote the escape from Shinra. Originally, they were going to live in the slums like Aerith did in the original game, until I found out that Avalanche originated in Cosmo Canyon- not Midgar. But the way things stand, it's gonna be a while.

As for women in the army in real life, I don't think enough of us are simply interested in that line of work(I'm certainly not) in order to make it happen. Most women I meet cringe if you suggest they join the military, and I've never met any little girls who announced they wanted to be a sniper when they grew up.

Greatazuredragon: I like taking underdeveloped characters and giving them extra dimensions. This is why I have very much enjoyed writing Ifalna, who appears twice in the original game: in a flashback and a video. I loved developing her, and making her one of the main characters of this story. Hollander will also be fun to flesh out.

faunalind: You'll get your answer in this chapter. Glad you're enjoying my updates, and I'm glad I was able to get this one out a little sooner.

JazzQueen: Hollander is only against Shinra because they "wronged" him by not giving him the credit and rewards he feels he's entitled to. Usually entitled people are ineffectual little nothings in society, but this guy unfortunately has too much brains for his own good. We'll just have to see if Genesis sees through him in this timeline sooner than he did in the original one.

Now, onto the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 6: Tormented Souls

"Great workout," Cissnei's friend and fellow Turk Freyra declared as the two women entered the women's locker room on the 64th floor. They had spent the last hour at the gym, on the elliptical machines and then rotating around the weight training circuit.

Cissnei opened her locker and pulled out her gym bag. Opening it, she took out a towel and set it down nearby. "What do you think of the mass text from the other day?" she asked, "About the new program the science department is launching? First they sent out that mass text, and this morning, I got an email going into the details."

Her friend and co-worker pushed her thick, sandy hair behind her shoulders before opening her own locker.

"Seems like all of the women in the Turks received the same letter," Freyra answered, "myself included. But it's _only_ the women. I wonder why they don't want to give the men the same enhancements. If you ask me, the Turks could use whatever help they can get. What's the point of leaving the men out?"

Cissnei frowned. "But…you know a lot of those members of SOLDIER are a little…off. Do you really want to wind up like that? Some of them are really bloodthirsty."

"No," Freyra agreed, "But I can see why people might bite the bullet and take part regardless. It's a very nice stipend that they're offering. Judith told me she's considering it."

Cissnei frowned, pulling out her phone. Opening up her email, she reread the message she had received earlier in the day.

_Dear valued member of the Department of Administrative Research,_

_It is with great excitement that Shinra Inc. announces the start of a brand-new training program available for all female members of the Turks. The science department wishes to extend the opportunity for you to take part in an experimental study. The program will open next week, on June 27th._

_Should you wish to accept this offer, enclosed is a form for you to fill out. Your director will be contacted, and any assignments in the future will be suspended while you report to the 67__th__ floor apartments for temporary housing…_

Cissnei closed her email and put her phone back in her locker. She began to undress along with Freyra, putting her sweat-soaked gym clothes inside a bag that went back inside her locker.

"They seem to be offering the program indefinitely," said Freyra as she wrapped a towel around her body, while Cissnei did the same thing. "I think I'll wait and see what happens with Judith and any of the other girls that decide to sign up before I do anything."

"Good idea," Cissnei said as they walked over to the shower area. She then smirked. "Maybe if they promised me I could grow a pair of wings, I'd consider it."

"What are you talking about?" Freyra laughed.

"Just an old childhood dream," said Cissnei somewhat wistfully. "Wings symbolize freedom."

"And do you feel so horribly confined in this job?" Freyra teased.

"Forget it," Cissnei laughed softly, "The point is, I'm not interested in the new program right now either."

"Annika was considering taking part as well," Freyra informed her friend, "She's hoping she can get that old bullet wound of hers healed."

"What does Emma think?" Cissnei asked. Emma, whose father was also a Turk(and whose younger sister Elena was also considering entering the training program), was one of the most highly-regarded members of the organization.

"She's on the fence," Freyra answered, "Hey, so I know this is off-topic, but what's the deal with Banora? Some rich family turned out to be terrorists and they sent a couple helicopters to bomb their estate?"

Cissnei frowned.

"I only ask because Reno mentioned that you went down there with him and Rude," Freyra went on.

"I got no inkling during the trip whatsoever that the family in question were in league with Avalanche like they're claiming," Cissnei admitted truthfully.

Freyra said nothing, only nodded. Both women knew that there were questionable incidents from within the Shinra that happened all of the time. Everyone that worked for the company, even the custodians, knew it. But so long as they kept providing the high quality of living that mako energy allowed for, the Shinra would continue to reign supreme.

Despite conceding the war against Wutai, the company's influence was beginning to reach the far corners of the accessible world. There was now talk of constructing a reactor over in Corel, a poor coal mining desert town. Why would the people ever turn it down? Shinra always promised to(and delivered on) training people to run the reactors they built. The coal miners would now become mako technicians, and have higher wages for less work, and a lower safety risk. Many of the miners worked twelve-hour days, sometimes six days a week. Mako technicians could run the reactors on a standard 40-hour week schedule, and the budget would all balance out nicely. That didn't even begin to include the other job opportunities that would open up on top of that. There was also better schooling available due to more advanced technology that mako energy made available. The possibilities were nearly endless.

The problem with Wutai had been their religious beliefs, particularly that mako was the lifeblood of the planet, without which, life would not flourish. Their beliefs were similar to that of the Gaians: a religion popular in Mideel and Cosmo Canyon. It was said that Avalanche consisted of mostly Gaians.

Cissnei had been to Wutai on a handful of missions, and had seen that the farms over there were suffering. In the past two years, she recalled reading about droughts, and crops simply not thriving over on the eastern and western continents as well. But she had never been a superstitious person, and the idea that the precious green liquid controlled life directly seemed ridiculous, despite the fact that it _had_ become the lifeblood of modern civilization over the past fifty years.

"What do you think will happen next?" Freyra asked casually. "I've been hearing whispers from the science department of people planning to travel way up north to investigate the crater. If they could route the flow of all that mako back to Modeoheim, I could see that old ghost town becoming a thriving town once again. Especially if they could build a mini-reactor over at Icicle Inn to connect to the larger one in Modeoheim. Rebuilding that reactor wouldn't be hard."

Cissnei smiled as the two women arrived at the showers and hung up their towels. "I imagine you'll be dropping some serious hints as to who you think should be part of that investigation?" she teased.

Freyra grinned as they each turned on their respective showerheads. "That crater hasn't been investigated in nearly thirty years. Look what happened with Professor Hojo and the late Professor Gast when _they_ explored over there. The former is head of the science department, and the latter has the 15th floor, and the science department at Ragnarok University named after him. I wouldn't mind being remembered like that after I die."

Cissnei nodded. The 15th floor was Shinra Headquarters' library, which was accessible to the general public. She enjoyed spending as much time there as Reno spent at the Wall Market Pub.

"I imagine the science department is where they'll have to make things work," said Cissnei, reaching for a bottle of shampoo. "I also heard the space program is now looking for a pilot for the upcoming shuttle program. Can't help but wonder who the lucky person will be."

"Ah, does the little 'swan' secretly wish it was her?" Freyra was the one doing the teasing now, referring to the meaning of Cissnei's name. "I'll admit- a space shuttle would have one heavy-duty set of wings for you to flap."

Cissnei ignored her friend as she washed her hair, but couldn't help smiling nonetheless. Too many lives had been lost over the past ten years. She was glad that the Shinra had decided to admit defeat in the case of Wutai. Perhaps accomplishments such as revitalizing towns, harnessing more mako energy, and sending a person into outer space would be better ways for regaining public support. Anti-Shinra sentiment was beginning to surface in newsletters, blogs, pirate radio, and Network videos. The citizens of the Plate were as happy as always, but she could feel the tension in the air all over the subterranean slums of Midgar.

She would have been feeling quite good about the direction that things were headed…save for the nagging question of the now deceased Mr. and Mrs. Rhapsodos of Banora, and their servants. Surely, Genesis would never come to work with the Shinra once he found out that they had killed his family.

Forcing herself to keep an even expression, Cissnei ducked her head under the stream of water, allowing it to wash the shampoo out of her hair. Too many questions. Curiosity killed the cat, and given the life she had led as an orphan before joining the Turks at such a young age, Cissnei sensed that she was just about out of extra lives.

_Best to keep my eyes forward, and my nose clean,_ she thought.

* * *

Professor Hojo sat at his desk in the tank room, gathering his jumbled notes as he glanced at the newly-improved pods, which would house the future participants of Project T(Turk). His new assistant had offered to organize his notes into a filing system that he guaranteed would benefit the department head immensely.

Just then, the door opened, and the younger man walked inside, carrying a box that held several binders and folders. He stopped and glanced at the broken mako tank in the center of the room.

"What happened?" Fuhito asked as he tilted his head toward the large defunct chamber.

"That tank has been that way for twelve years," said Hojo, "I never had it repaired. I kept it that way as a reminder…so that I never experience another failure like I did when Sephiroth ran off and took the two Cetra with him…among other specimens. This was the tank that I held the Cetra woman in. I planned to eventually try injecting her with mako to see how it would affect a full-grown, full-blooded Ancient."

"Wouldn't she have become too powerful for you to handle?" Fuhito asked.

"I have various paralytics at my disposal that I could have easily incapacitated her legs with," Hojo answered, "Temporarily, of course. We would eventually have locked her in a test room with her body at full capacity once she was ready, and we'd have seen what she would be able to do."

"And do you believe this woman and her daughter will be found eventually?" Fuhito asked.

"I do," Hojo stated confidently, "And I'm hoping that these twelve years she has been away might prove fruitful."

"How so?" Fuhito asked.

"The Cetra I had as a specimen for five years was an admittedly attractive young woman. One of my interns even decided he wanted to have his way with her. However, she had some pretty interesting self-defense techniques that may have finished the young man off…had the Turks not done so instead."

"He was executed?" Fuhito asked.

"Indeed," Hojo answered, "That old saying about not dipping your pen in the company ink? It can be a matter of life and death here, my boy. Keep that in mind."

Fuhito nodded.

"My point concerning the Cetra woman's looks, however…" Hojo went on, "is that there might hopefully be a silver lining in the whole fiasco that is their escaping. Considering that the Cetra look no different than ordinary humans, she may have chosen to hide herself and the child right out in public. She worked her wiles on my colleague- it's entirely possible that she might have found another man. If so, she may have born more children, which of course, means more specimens- hopefully male, as we've never studied a male Cetra. However, as long as we don't know where the woman is, the point is moot."

Fuhito merely nodded. He wasn't sure yet whether or not he wanted to give away the location of Ifalna and Aerith, who fit the professor's description to a T. He knew that if they were in Hojo's hands, his new mentor would be too busy with them to bother with anything else. That would never do if he wanted to find out more about the missing pieces of the fabled Zirconiade(part of which he was certain was what had been removed from Elfé all those years ago).

Another summon that had caught his fancy was Omega WEAPON, which Hojo had begun telling him about. Now that the man was already trusting him to handle his notes, he could only just conceal his excitement toward what treasures of knowledge he could anticipate finding very soon.

As things stood right now, the possibilities were endless…

* * *

Aerith stepped outside into the bright sunlight, and quickly put on her father's sunglasses. She went over to the truck, where the mechanic was finally putting the finishing touches on the engine, after having recovered from the shock of seeing Genesis' transformation.

"It's almost done," Sephiroth informed her as he stood near the passenger side door. "What did you mother have to tell you?"

"We have a problem," Aerith cut to the chase. "I know you and Angeal are tempted to head south and follow Genesis. I'm sure he's on his way to Banora. However…the planet spoke again, to my mother. The cure for Genesis' condition is up north."

"Why didn't the planet tell _you_ that?" Sephiroth asked.

"Mom was already meditating," Aerith answered, "Why waste precious strength telling me when it has a direct line to her?"

"You make it sound as if the planet isn't very strong," Angeal remarked.

Aerith looked grim. "It's not," she said. "Year after year, well…Mom and I noticed its voice grows weaker. Not so much that we can't hear or understand it. Just…weak. Even the twins have asked questions concerning that. We've never really had an answer, but…in light of everything…if Jenova seeks 'her children'…if Jenova is about to awaken…that would weaken the planet. You see…she feeds off of spirit energy to gain strength. Just like the mako enhancements you had, Seph, and Angeal to a lesser degree, I'm sure. It's all the same. Mako energy, spirit energy…it enhances a living person's strength, since you've essentially got extra 'life' flowing inside of you."

"If Jenova awakens," Sephiroth recalled, "The planet will send beings to protect it, if I recall what your mother used to tell me as a child."

"WEAPON," Aerith said with an affirmative nod, "Though it's not necessarily a good thing. You see…WEAPON won't attack Jenova specifically. It will just wreak havoc…like the berserkers of legend. The planet can't defend itself all that well...I just don't know why that is."

"All set!" the mechanic announced as he closed the hood of the truck.

"Thank you very much, sir," Angeal said as he dug out a wallet and took out several hundred gil, paying the young man.

"Thank _you_," the mechanic replied, pocketing the money. "Now, time for a drink…" he muttered, walking off.

"You should have used Genesis' wallet," Sephiroth suggested, "It's his own fault for leaving it behind."

"It's not Genesis' truck being fixed," Angeal argued, "Still…if if only he weren't so reckless…" He sighed. "I know he just lost his parents…but still…I'm worried he might be flying straight into a trap."

"There's nothing we can do right now," Sephiroth told his friend, "And he did take his phone with him. He may contact us. We really should stay put for now. It's the safest thing we can do."

Angeal looked at the ground for a moment. Then he looked at Aerith. "When do you plan to leave?"

"The Solstice Festival is tomorrow night," said Aerith, "I want to enjoy it…I'd like you both to be able to enjoy it as well. I also promised Carlie I'd be there when she sang."

"Carlie sings the way Aerith draws and paints," Sephiroth told Angeal.

The raven-haired swordsman raised an eyebrow, looking fascinated. He had seen the painting of Sephiroth that Aerith had done and had been impressed with her attention to detail.

"We need time to get our heads straight," Sephiroth stated, "We need to see if Genesis contacts us or not. After that, it might be in our best interests to investigate Banora. We still don't know what's happened to your parents, Angeal."

His friend nodded. "You're right…that would appear to be the best plan of action."

"I don't like it either," Sephiroth told him, "But it's all we can do. We need to see if the planet has anymore messages for Aerith, or any of her family, considering its attempt to conserve its strength."

"I doubt it'll try to send messages through Gabe," Aerith went on to elaborate, "But it could easily send images to the twins, which they might be hard-pressed to communicate to us all the same. I think maybe I should go to my room and start meditating. At this point, I should really be keeping the lines of communication open, since I'm the one that the planet wants to do its bidding. Mom probably needs a break." She turned and headed back toward the house, stopping as she reached the front door. "Let me know if anything comes up."

"We will," Sephiroth promised, while Angeal nodded in agreement.

Aerith smiled as she opened the door and went back inside.

* * *

Dinner was understandably subdued. Everybody ate silently, save for the twins, who still didn't quite understand what had happened earlier in the morning. They had tried pressing for details, but when nobody wanted to volunteer any information, they gave up and ate in a sulky silence.

How did one tell two ten-year-olds that a grown man had suddenly sprouted a giant wing and flown away?

Just as Barnabas stood up to clear the dishes, a knock at the door could be heard.

"I'll get it!" Cassius jumped up and ran out of the kitchen.

Ifalna got up to follow her son, and could already hear him speaking to somebody by the time she walked into the living room.

"Hi," she heard him say.

"Hello there," a woman could be heard saying, "I'm looking for my son. The guards told me I might find him here."

"Can I help you?" Ifalna asked as she approached the front door.

"My name is Gillian Hewley," the older woman said politely, "I'm looking for my son Angeal."

"Oh!" Ifalna exclaimed, surprised, "Yes, of course he's here! Oh, thank goodness- he's been trying to reach you for days, and with what happened…!"

"I'm not sure I follow," Gillian said, looking confused, "Did something happen?"

"Mom!" Angeal exclaimed as he ran over to his mother and threw his arms around her, "Oh god, you're all right! I was so worried…where's Dad?!" He looked past her, through the open door, hoping to catch sight of his father.

"He's back at home," said Gillian as she rubbed her son's back reassuringly.

"But the bombing…!" Angeal exclaimed.

Gillian frowned. "Bombing?"

"Mrs. Hewley, perhaps you should come into the living room and sit down," Ifalna suggested somberly.

* * *

"Dear planet…" Gillian whispered as she wiped a tear from her eye. "I was so focused on getting here as quickly as I could, that I never even stopped to glance at a newspaper, let alone sit down to read it. Terrorists? Never! The Rhapsodoses were good people. They gave Genesis every opportunity, and loved him as if he were biologically theirs."

She sat next to Angeal on the loveseat, while Sephiroth sat on the sofa, flanked by Ifalna and Aerith. Barnabas sat on one of the chairs.

The twins had been sent to play at the rec center, while Gabe had been put to bed early.

"Mom, why are you here if it's not about the bombing?" Angeal asked.

"I didn't think the Shinra would stoop so low as to do something like this," Gillian fretted, "But I'm here because of them, nonetheless. I don't think I was followed, which is a blessing."

"The Shinra will do anything to get what they want," Sephiroth told her. _After all, _he thought, _I'm living proof._

"Why did the Shinra kill Genesis' parents, then?" Angeal wanted to know, "What _did_ they want?"

"They're after the two of you," Gillian told him, "Both you and Genesis. As for Sephiroth…I don't think they realize that you've been living on Mideel for so long, but it's a good thing you left when you did. You would have been found by them."

"Wait, how…?" Sephiroth trailed off, staring at his friend's mother, who had welcomed him into her home for nearly twelve years. How could she have know that he was connected to Shinra? He was certain she had never overheard him talking about it to his friends.

"I knew who you were from the moment I met you, Sephiroth," Gillian admitted, "I met both of your parents…Lucrecia and Hojo. I knew Genesis' biological mother."

"Mom…?!" Angeal whispered in shock.

"Angeal…" Gillian's voice broke, "I wanted to tell you…but I just didn't know how! How does a mother tell her son something like this…?!"

"From the beginning, Mother," Angeal answered worriedly, "Please. I've known for the past couple of days that there's more to me than meets the eye…no. I've known for years. Mrs. Duran…" He inclined his head toward Ifalna. "…she told me that Sephiroth, Genesis and I are connected by a being named Jenova. How is this possible?"

Gillian stared at Ifalna in shock. "How could you know?!" she exclaimed, "You would have been a teenager at the time this all started, and this was a top secret project known only to Shinra's elite!"

"She's the widow of Professor Gast," Sephiroth explained, "He told her everything, shortly before the Shinra killed him."

"But he worked on Project S- not Project G," Gillian protested, "Plus, I never even met him. Word was that he left on sabbatical the day after Lucrecia's suicide."

She then cringed at the stricken look on Sephiroth's face.

"My mother killed herself…?" Sephiroth's voice was subdued.

"I'm sorry…" Ifalna whispered, placing her hand on the young man's shoulder.

Aerith took Sephiroth's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Forgive me…" said Gillian, "I didn't know you were unaware of the details."

"We can discuss that another time," said Sephiroth, "You're saying that I wasn't the only child born with Jenova cells?"

"There was a second branch of the Jenova Project conducted in Banora," Gillian explained, "A long time ago, I used to be a scientist. I gave up my profession once I had Angeal. There were many regrets I had…but Angeal…you were never among them. You helped me realize what was truly important in life."

"What about Dad?" Angeal asked, unmoved. "Is he an ex-scientist too?"

Gillian turned away and began to sob into her hands.

"Oh god…" Angeal whispered, "I was right…"

Gillian continued to cry.

"Who…?" Angeal's voice was dangerously calm. "Who is my father?"

"Your dad _is_ your real father for all I care!" Gillian wept.

"Who is my _biological_ father?" Angeal's voice was now sharp, causing Ifalna and Aerith to wince.

"His name is Hollander!" Gillian cried, "Doctor Roy Hollander! He was vying with Hojo for Assistant Head of the science department, and was put in charge of Project G…while Hojo and Gast took control of Project S! Hollander arrived in Banora a few days ago and confronted me, saying that the Shinra wanted both you and Genesis to join SOLDIER. I told him to leave us alone, but…!"

"What about me?" Sephiroth asked, "You said they weren't looking for me, right?"

Gillian shook her head. "He only asked about Angeal and Genesis. He also claimed he wanted to meet his biological son, but I don't believe him for a minute! The man is a sociopath who charms anyone gullible enough to fall for his lies…like I did…and for that I'm so sorry, Angeal!"

Angeal rested his forehead in his hands, while Ifalna handed a box of tissues to Gillian.

"You could have told me sooner…" Angeal mumbled, "…much sooner. Sephiroth knew the truth years ago…you could have told me, Mom…!"

"I told him as a friend, Angeal," Ifalna pointed out, "If Sephiroth had been my own son…I'm not sure it would be as easy to tell him. I'm an observer…not an active participant. I imagine she just wanted you to have a normal life…wanted _all_ of you to have a normal life. That's why she didn't say anything to Sephiroth, but still treated him kindly."

"Thank you…" Gillian whispered, unable to look at Ifalna.

"I need some air…" Angeal muttered as he got up and strode out of the living room. Moments later, the front door could be heard opening, and then slamming shut.

Gillian bowed her head, wiping her eyes.

"Would you like some tea?" Barnabas asked as he stood up.

"Yes, thank you," Gillian said softly, "Anything will do."

"Okay." Barnabas was about to go into the kitchen, but he stopped and looked at Sephiroth. "Should somebody go after Angeal?"

"He always comes back, no matter how upset he gets," Sephiroth explained, "I'll talk to him in private once he returns."

Barnabas nodded and went into the kitchen.

"I'm worried about Genesis…" said Gillian, "He's probably on his way back to Banora…which is probably exactly what the Shinra wants."

"That's what we've been worried about," Sephiroth said.

"Do you think they mean to trap him?" Ifalna asked.

Nobody answered.

"He'd be a prisoner living in the lap of luxury…" Sephiroth grumbled.

"300 channels of nonsense to choose from on TV…" Aerith added.

"Was that really your life?" Gillian asked softly.

Sephiroth nodded.

"I can't stand the thought of them still imprisoning people 'for the good of society'," Aerith said, shaking her head.

"May I ask how you met Sephiroth?" Gillian asked. "Angeal mentioned a couple of times that Sephiroth would occasionally go to Cosmo Canyon to visit a woman and her daughter, and that he wrote to them like clockwork. I'm assuming that's you."

Aerith looked at Ifalna, who nodded reassuringly. Ifalna sensed no malice whatsoever in Angeal's mother; a woman who had bent over backwards to right her wrongs, and still struggled to do so. She turned to Gillian and began to speak:

"I seem to be the last known living Cetra…or 'Ancient'," she explained, "Being involved with the Jenova Project, you know what that means. My first husband was the one to discover that Jenova was not a Cetra, despite the initial belief that she was. No…in fact, she brought about the demise of their great civilization. The survivors of her reign of terror dwindled over the centuries. For the most part, they found human partners, and our kind were bred out of existence…except for me. Perhaps I was part of a clan that stressed racial purity…but I can only guess, since half of my life is a complete blank."

"Then, how do you even know what you are?" Gillian asked.

"The planet speaks to me and my children daily," Ifalna told her, "I suppose there are a lot of people that might brush that off as a mental illness, but does that explain how our home is surrounded by nearly an acre of grass, growing in fertile soil? How a vegetable garden thrives year-round in our back yard, along with trees that are twice the size as other trees planted at the same time in other parts of the world?"

"The people who buy our produce call them 'dumb-veggies'," Aerith added, "Because they grow year-round, like dumb-apples."

"I must say, I _was_ quite stunned to see so much plant life around your home," Gillian admitted.

"Professor Gast was researching other findings from the Northern Crater that had been neglected during the excitement that was the Jenova Project," Ifalna continued, "One such finding was a bone fragment. He discovered that the bone did not completely match the DNA of humans, being off by .5 percent. It didn't match Jenova's DNA either, which was actually able to fluctuate, and apparently gave a different reading every time it was tested. That was when it occurred to him that he might be wrong when he assumed Jenova was a Cetra."

"He did tell me once that he left around the time I was born," Sephiroth remembered aloud, "But he implied it was because he had made some sort of professional blunder. Could it have been that?"

"Aside from the death of your mother, that was the other reason why," said Ifalna, "He was so embarrassed that he had made, in his own words, such a 'cosmic error'. He did take his work very seriously, after all."

"How did he end up meeting you?" Gillian asked.

"My first memory is of waking up in an abandoned city," said Ifalna, "I remember my mind being a complete blank. I couldn't even think. It's as if I woke up with a reptilian brain. After I wandered around, looking for food and water, I stumbled across a fountain. After getting a drink, I slowly started to come out of the fog, and began wandering around town. I remember there was an apple tree, which provided me with food for the rest of the day, and I slept inside an empty house.

"The next morning, I went over to the edge of the town, and saw a lake, right next to this strange building that resembled a spiraled seashell. When I went down the long staircase, which led to this immense underground hall, I saw several people milling around. They turned out to be archaeologists from Midgar. I thought they could help me…" She trailed off, shaking her head as she smiled sadly at the irony in her statement.

"They brought me back to Midgar…to the Shinra building. The president took an interest in me, deciding I would make a good publicity story. 'Amnesiac woman rescued, and under Shinra's care.' Of course, when they checked my vitals and my blood to make sure I was in good health…that's when they found out what I was, and everything went to hell. My DNA came up as similar to the bone fragment my late husband tested. They had finally found their 'Ancient', and I realized they were not going to let me leave. Professor Gast…well…I met Faremis from the start. He was the one who first examined me, and was impressed with my curiosity over everything. He was also rather surprised by a few things. I couldn't stand rock music…I still can't. And keep in mind I was much younger…he said I had the musical tastes of an old woman from the last century, because I preferred a piano sonata over a guitar band. I had never seen television before, and the news was really the only thing that interested me. He theorized that I may have been sheltered, given that I did not recognize any TV shows, songs, or books. In fact…I didn't even know how to read.

"He actually tried to switch the results of my tests with a staff member when he realized what would be in store for me if they knew I wasn't human. Hojo found him out, and he was suspended with pay. But he was able to get back into the building under the guise of collecting some personal belongings. Well, he disguised me as a soldier, complete with a helmet and machine gun. Ironically, I was ordered by another soldier to escort him from the premises. Who was I to disobey my superior officer?"

Aerith laughed.

"He took me to Icicle Inn, where he looked after me for about two years. The planet, during that time, shared…likely for the second time…the history of my people, which I shared with Faremis. He began making a video log of these stories. The planet would speak to me, sending me visions. Unlike Aerith who received her vision in her sleep, I received them while I was awake. I would let Faremis know, and he would quickly set up the tripod and camera. Sometimes, the visions were rough on me, and I had to stop. He never pushed me. And on top of all that, he even taught me to read modern script. We also found out that I could read Cetran letters. I even devoured a fictional novel he had snuck away from the anthropology department.

"Something about him, and all the things he did for me…I don't know…I think that's when I started to have feelings for him." She began to laugh softly. "In the interest of keeping this brief, and not grossing out my daughter, I'll just say that long story short, Faremis and I fell in love and were married a year after we met."

"Not unlike us," Barnabas pointed out as he walked into the living room, setting down a tray on the coffee table. He then walked behind the sofa, putting his hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Yes," Ifalna said, smiling, "I also married my second husband a year after meeting him. I seem to have a very exact timeline when it comes to the men in my life. Anyway, less than a year later, Aerith came along…and for twenty days, we were a very happy family."

Her smile faded, and she stared off into space.

* * *

_"__Ifalna- take Aerith and run!" Gast had shouted._

_Ifalna quickly scooped up the infant and dashed out the door while several gunshots could be heard from inside._

_An additional shot rang out, and Ifalna suddenly felt a searing pain in her ankle as she fell into the snow, twisting around to protect Aerith from the impact. As she reached down and tried to use her healing magic while still holding the crying baby, she felt a set of hands grab her and haul her up to her feet(or rather, her one good foot). One trooper snatched Aerith from her, while another handcuffed her hands behind her back, like a common criminal…_

* * *

Sephiroth took Ifalna's hand comfortingly, while Barnabas leaned down to hug her.

Aerith clutched her father's sunglasses, which dangled from the front of her shirt. She glanced at the ground, wondering as she sometimes did, how things could have been, had she and her parents not been discovered.

"Professor Hojo tracked us down and had a couple of troopers murder my father," the teenager said, her normally light and carefree voice now hard, "I wasn't even three weeks old. We were confined to the Shinra building for five years, and subject to countless tests. But Mom met Sephiroth pretty much from the start…"

Her voice softened as she continued: "I remember growing up and thinking of Sephiroth as a big brother. Mom said he was the only other person that I ever wanted to hold me. If I cried, Sephiroth could calm me down by picking me up, almost as easily as she could."

She then leaned her head against Sephiroth's shoulder, while Sephiroth wondered who was actually calming who. He often wanted to hold baby Aerith after a hard day of training, or a particularly grueling test. When she lay in his arms, looking up at him with those wide, innocent green eyes, he could feel his troubles melting away, especially when she would grab his finger with those tiny hands of hers.

"When I was thirteen, I discovered that Hojo was my biological father," Sephiroth said, taking over the story. "I hated him so much already, but when I found that out, I guess you could say I snapped. On top of that, Hojo decided to put Ifalna in a mako tank, and had done so for two months. They were separating Aerith from her mother, and I never trusted her other caretakers."

"They used to hit me if I knocked something over, or did anything wrong, really," Aerith said, wrapping her arms around herself at the memory. "The last one, Miss Elliot, wasn't so bad, but there was a very high turnover of caregivers in the science department. She could have been replaced at any given moment by someone cruel."

"And I wasn't about to give them that chance to hire another abusive monster to watch over her," Sephiroth added, "so I let out all of the specimens in the labs, and took advantage of the distraction to get the three of us out of there, as well as two other specimens. However…" He looked away guiltily, "I caused a lot of deaths in what I could call a cross between an escape, and a horrible temper tantrum. The incredible remorse I eventually felt over that, along with my attempts to deal with the story of my origin, and the unresolved anger of an essentially horrible childhood…well, it's the reason I came to live at the temple.

"I told Angeal and Genesis about my life with the Shinra several months after I first met them. They know all about my past. Mrs. Hewley…I doubt Angeal will hold a grudge against you, considering that he knows what my own father did to me. He had the same choice available to him…and he chose to sell his soul, and ignore all the blood on his hands. You accept your guilt, though you have much less to feel guilty about."

"Sephiroth's right," said Ifalna, "I feel so much remorse resonating from you, although in the end, you did the right thing. Angeal turned out fine, and Genesis will be okay. The planet told me where we can find the cure for his ailment. Once we find him, we can hopefully convince him to temporarily set aside any plans for vengeance, and get him healed."

"Everything's going to be all right," Aerith added reassuringly.

Gillian reached for another tissue and dabbed at her eyes, which now showed relief.

"All the fuss when they thought Jenova was an Ancient," said Gillian, "When in truth, that corpse gave me the shivers. I'm glad to see that true Cetra are just friendly, down-to-Gaia people like you."

Ifalna smiled.

"You have a lovely-looking family," Gillian remarked, looking at the large family portrait.

"I owe them all to Sephiroth," said Ifalna, "If not for him, we would never have gotten away, much less found ourselves here. This place really is the Promised Land for the living, as far as I'm concerned. It's very peaceful, which you'll see in the coming days. By the way, is there any way you can get a hold of your husband and send for him? He'd be much safer up here."

"I can call the miners' union in the morning," said Gillian as she finally took a cup and poured herself some tea, "They'll get a hold of him so that I can let him know what's going on. Clearly, he must know what's happened. No collateral damage was mentioned, so hopefully, he's safe."

"He'll be safer here," Barnabas said, "I can speak to the members of Avalanche at tonight's emergency meeting, and I'm sure we can pool some money to put you up at the Shildra Inn for the time being."

"If it's not too much trouble…" Gillian said wearily, "I'd like to attend."

"Are you sure you don't want to rest?" Ifalna asked, concerned, "It's been a long trip, and a very tiring day. I'm sure Angeal would agree."

"Angeal…" Gillian sighed, "…I don't want him to second-guess himself now that he knows the story of his origin. He's a _good man_."

"If he second-guesses himself," said Aerith, "then he's second-guessing Genesis and Sephiroth. Seph made his peace with the Jenova Project years ago, and Angeal seems like the most level-headed of the three of them."

Gillian nodded. "Yes…" she said slowly, "I suppose if the peace-maker can't make peace with himself…no. I've entertained too many negative thoughts." She smiled at Ifalna and Aerith. "I don't know what it is about you two, but speaking to the both of you has given me this sense of hope I haven't experienced in a very long time."

"Cetra healing at its most powerful," Angeal spoke. Everyone turned to see him standing in the doorway.

"I didn't even hear the door," Aerith remarked.

"I slammed it rather hard when I left," Angeal said somewhat sheepishly, "I thought I'd be more careful this time."

"Angeal…" Gillian approached her son.

"Do you mind if I talk privately with my mother in the back yard?" the raven-haired swordsman asked.

"Not at all," Barnabas answered, shaking his head. "Take all the time you need."

Angeal nodded his head in thanks, and headed out of the living room. His mother trailed behind him slowly.

* * *

"This man who is my…" Angeal couldn't even bring himself to say it.

He sat underneath Aerith's tree, while his mother stood about six feet away, unable to sit down and relax.

"Roy Hollander," Gillian repeated the man's name. "But Angeal…make no mistake- you know who your real father is, and it's not that man."

Angeal looked away. "But Dad knew…didn't he?"

"When I told him," said Gillian, "We had been friends for several months. He really did love to play with you. After I told him, his response was that it explained why you were so rough and tumble. Never once did you every cry if you fell down. In fact, you would laugh it off and immediately get back up like nothing had happened. That always impressed him. He would do anything for you, and you know that."

"But not the man whose DNA I share, obviously," Angeal said, somewhat hurt.

"You didn't miss out on anything," Gillian said firmly. "Hollander is the quintessential wolf in sheep's clothing. He's friendly, he's charming…until he gets what he wants, and then turns on a dime. He'll make promises he has no intentions of keeping. His bravado, claiming he can do x, y, and z, often comes up short…that's why Genesis is so sick. Hojo wanted his perfect specimen, so Hollander wanted two…and he cut corners to do so."

"You sais you knew Genesis' real parents?" Angeal recalled.

"That's something I will explain during the Avalanche meeting," said Gillian. "I would have preferred Genesis be there to hear everything…but the truth needs to be known. You see…there's a possible other reason why the Shinra want Genesis."

Angeal nodded. "I see."

"I assume you haven't been able to get in touch with him?" Gillian asked.

"No," Angeal sighed, irritated. After a moment, he looked back up at his mother. "He was able to grow a wing and fly. If I was the 'success'…does that mean…?"

"Anything he can do, you can do as well," Gillian told him.

"Why do I get the feeling he's headed straight into trouble?" Angeal muttered.

"I doubt they would be able to capture him," said Gillian, "They would need the entire army, which is now trying to recover from the Wutai War. Plus, if they mobilized to capture Genesis, there's no way the company could ever keep that a secret."

"Genesis would never allow it, at any rate," Angeal added.

Gillian couldn't help but smile sadly. "No, he certainly wouldn't."

"What doesn't make sense though, is why they would kill his parents," said Angeal, "If anything, that would make him less likely to ever join. Capturing him by force likely wouldn't work, according to you. Or could it be some kind of warning? Like they want to say to him: 'Look what we did to your parents. If you don't want us to do this to the entire village, you'd better agree to what we ask.'?"

"The planet only knows…" Gillian whispered, looking up at the sunset.

"Somehow, I doubt even that," said Angeal. "The planet shares its wisdom with the Cetra, and even then, Aerith and her mother only seem to know half of the story. I guess all we can do now is wait."

Gillian nodded.

Angeal stood up, and walked over to his mother. He then put his arms around her.

"Thank you for not being like Sephiroth's father…" he whispered, "…or mine. I know you would have done the right thing even if the funding hadn't been cut."

"You would forgive me so easily…?" Gillian's voice was shaking.

"When you hang out at a temple a lot, you tend to pick up on some of the virtues that are preached there." Angeal said, smiling. "I think it's also easier knowing that Sephiroth is able to deal with it just fine."

New tears fell from Gillian's eyes as she clung to her son. "I only hope Genesis will be able to accept his identity as well as you and Sephiroth can," she said, "I'm afraid he has a much tougher road ahead…"


	18. Chapter 7: Drawing The Bow

Greatazuredragon: He won't fuck things up completely, but he's not going to make things as easy as they could have been, should he have stuck around to go to the Ancient City with the others. At least he knows Aerith and Ifalna are trying to help him, so he's got no reason to want to take the world down with him.

littlemissstrawberry: I guess I can understand why happy endings are questioned in this fandom, given how bittersweet FF7 and Crisis Core's endings were. Actually, there was nothing sweet about Crisis Core's ending- that was simply heartbreaking. Between Zack's final line, and the expression on Aerith's face when she senses what's happened to him… ;_;

badnephilim: You served? Very cool.

Hojo would unfortunately find a way to reprogram GlaDOS to let him go, AND do his evil bidding. Best to just lock him in a room with no company, and nothing to read but vapid magazines and sensational tabloids- anything devoid of intelligence. After all he did in canon, death was too good for him.

Ardwynna Morrigu: In the game, Aerith turned herself over to the Shinra to save little Marlene(whom she'd only just met); something she'd spent 15 years trying desperately to avoid. For her AU half-siblings, whose diapers she helped change, meals she helped to feed, stories she's read for them, etc? Gaia help us all… _

JazzQueen: I've given a couple of hints as to what part of Shinra Hollander will be put in charge of. He may just give Hojo a run for his money now that he's got the president and Scarlet backing him.

* * *

Chapter 7: Drawing The Bow

Everyone in the Avalanche meeting room sat in stunned silence as Gillian finished speaking, standing nervously at the podium. She waited to see if anyone had any questions at all.

Finally, somebody spoke up:

"You're telling us that we allowed a Shinra inside our _top secret_ meeting hall?"

"Genesis was never informed of his mother's true identity," Gillian answered, "He was never raised as a Shinra, but as a resident of Banora. He was raised by good, honest people, who had no idea who his real mother was. He has always contributed his share of ideas and hard work to his community and beyond. I see you're drinking Banora White apple juice…which you're enjoying courtesy of him and his company."

"If the Shinra get to him," another person said, "they may change him. Plenty of young folk have been corrupted by the Shinra and their promises of money, power and fame. And on top of that, he was created to be some kind of powerhouse soldier?"

"Plus, it's not the first time that a Shinra has tried to infiltrate Avalanche before!" somebody else protested. "Rufus Shinra himself tried to pass himself off as an anonymous benefactor not too long ago! Fortunately, Master Terrato had recovered from his heart attack, looked into it, and saw through the charade. But we can't afford to be fooled again!"

"These are all very good points," Terrato put in from where he sat at the front of the room, "But you fail to realize something: if Genesis desired the Shinra empire, he wouldn't just be a threat to us. He would be a threat to Rufus Shinra as well."

"Then we should leave Genesis be and allow him and Rufus to cancel each other out!" another member suggested.

There were murmurs of agreement in the room.

Aerith stood up angrily. "No!" she protested, "I'm not going to let that happen! I've vowed to find a cure for whatever is making Genesis sick, and I'm standing by him! If the planet has no problem with Genesis, then I'm going to back him up no matter what! I already know that Sephiroth and Angeal will do the same!"

"None of you are full-fledged members of Avalanche!" a woman argued.

Aerith sat down looking frustrated, while Barnabas patted her on the shoulder reassuringly.

The murmurs resumed, with everyone sounding uneasy.

Sephiroth stood up as well. "Everyone," he said loudly, "If I may propose a suggestion: Angeal and I will travel with Aerith up north, where she's been sent. But we still need to be informed of whatever is going on in the fight against the Shinra, especially if it pertains to Genesis. We need to be prepared in case our plans change, and we can't do it without the help of Avalanche."

Several people spoke up:

"We should be looking into what Shinra's next move is, now that they've pulled out of Wutai!"

"Yeah, I'm not convinced that they're giving up that easily!"

"I think it's going too far, helping somebody that might be too much of a liability!"

Everyone else murmured in agreement.

Aerith couldn't believe her ears. They really wanted to abandon Genesis just because he was biologically President Shinra's nephew? He hadn't even known that, let alone been raised as a Shinra!

"How can they be so unfair?" Aerith whispered to Sephiroth, who was sitting right next to her.

"Unfortunately, I can understand where they're coming from," Sephiroth replied quietly, "If there was indeed a breach in security made by Rufus Shinra himself, I can see everyone being reluctant to help another Shinra…even if he's only a Shinra by DNA."

"There's also the fact that some people believe DNA makes you good or evil," Angeal added, his acute hearing having allowed him to hear the quiet conversation.

"All we can do is put it to a vote," Terrato announced, "All in favor of assisting in locating Genesis Rhapsodos, in the hopes that he'll be able to assist us?"

He and Barnabas raised their hands, along with Sephiroth, Angeal, Aerith, Elfé, and Ifalna, who had asked Dr. Triton to watch the kids while she attended the meeting.

"All against?"

Aerith looked around, disheartened as everyone else in the room raised their hands, bringing the proposal to an end.

"Very well," Terrato said disappointedly, "We _are_ a democracy, and will adhere to the will of the majority. We'll reconvene tomorrow morning to discuss what our next step will be. Dismissed."

Aerith immediately stood up and walked out before anyone else, refusing to look at any of the other members of Avalanche.

* * *

"Aerith…" Ifalna caught up with her daughter and touched her shoulder, "Are you all right?"

Barnabas, Sephiroth, and Angeal hurried over to where they stood outside the tunnel entrance.

"No, Mom," Aerith answered, "I'm not. I thought Avalanche was about helping people who had been wronged by the Shinra. Genesis might be _dying_, and nobody wants to help him simply because he's the son of a Shinra!"

"Even being honest from the beginning backfires," Gillian said, shaking her head sadly.

"No, you did the right thing," Ifalna insisted, "Avalanche deserves to know as much as possible. We're just going to have to re-think things."

"There's not much to re-think," Elfé said, approaching them. "You still need to head north, and I'll still accompany you. Three sword-wielders are safer to travel with than two, don't you think? Besides…we may have one little trump card…which I'm glad I didn't mention at the meeting. It means I can use it to help us, along with Genesis."

"What would that be?" Sephiroth asked, intrigued.

Elfé smiled. "There may be a man who can help you," she said, "I've done a bit of independent scouting, and I've been in talks with a pilot from Rocket Town named Cid Highwind."

"Rocket Town?" Angeal asked, confusedly.

"Dragoonshire," Elfé explained, "Lately, people have been calling it 'Rocket Town' due to the fact that the Shinra space program is having a rocket built there. But I digress. You might know Cid as the grandson of Fenix Highwind- the inventor of the airplane."

"I've met him," Sephiroth remembered, "A very long time ago…only a few days before I met Ifalna. It was nothing more than a publicity play-date, but I do recall finding him to be quite interesting. He was rash…always leaping before looking, but very clever as well. That kind of personality could be the right type to help us out, if anything. What has he been up to since then?"

"He has a small plane that he might be willing to lend you," Elfé explained, "particularly since Avalanche has been offering to pay for the construction of two more planes. That might make him willing to part with his personal aircraft…if he doesn't decide to personally fly you to that abandoned city himself, that is. He's definitely an eccentric fellow, which I myself know from personal experience, from my trips through the area. In my experience, eccentric is a good thing."

Aerith nodded, recalling that Elfé had indeed been out of town for two weeks back in early May. All that Elfé had said upon returning was that she had been in negotiations with a potential new member, who would be of great help if he were to join the cause.

"Wouldn't the other members of Avalanche get angry if we stole him for this mission, which they all voted just now not to help with?" Sephiroth asked dubiously.

"He doesn't need to be there for the planes to be built," said Barnabas, "Elfé already told me and Master Terrato that the plans were already drawn up. They're exact copies of his first plane. Nobody really has to know that he left…much less to help you guys. If they get word that the planes are being built, that'll satisfy them."

"He's a brilliant young man, having graduated from Ragnarok University with honors at the age of eighteen," Elfe went on, "He's twenty-seven now, and not only did he design the plane in question, but he also designed his own airship. Rumor has it that Rufus Shinra wants him to design an airship for his own use. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm not comfortable with the Shinra taking to the skies. The helicopters they use are bad enough as it is.

"Something tells me he might be up for this kind of adventure whether or not he's backed up by Avalanche. Besides…" Elfé looked slightly embarrassed. "…I'd be worried about the little sister I never had if she went off without me."

Aerith pounced on Elfé, hugging her tightly. "You're the best, Elfé!" she exclaimed.

Elfé laughed uncomfortably, never having been the type to express herself physically.

"Are we still heading out the morning after the Solstice celebration?" Angeal asked.

Aerith nodded. "That'll give me enough time to pack, and say goodbye to everyone here…even though they might not support me."

"All of your friends know about your heritage," said Elfé, "They know you do what the planet tells you."

Aerith nodded, and then yawned.

"I'll never understand the need for these late-night meetings," Ifalna said, yawning herself, "This could have been held earlier, or waited until the morning."

"It's the only time of the day when the most members are free to attend," Barnabas reminded his wife, "Besides, I'm glad we were able to decide what to do now, rather than wait until tomorrow."

"I'm beat," Aerith announced.

"It's been a very long day," said Sephiroth.

"Let's go home and get a good night's sleep, then," Barnabas suggested.

* * *

Despite her exhaustion, Aerith found herself unable to fall asleep. While her body was indeed tired, and welcomed the chance to rest in her soft bed under the sheets, her mind was all over the place. Worry over Genesis, pity over Gillian's crushing guilt, and the stress of her upcoming mission…all caused her to lie awake, staring at the ceiling.

When she did manage to sink into slumber, the image of her lying dead, wearing that pink dress, shook her awake once more.

_Am I going to die…?_

She got out of bed and left her bedroom, making her way down the hall, past the living room and into the kitchen. She walked over to the sliding glass door, only to see that it was already open. Taking a closer look, she could see Sephiroth's silver mane reflecting in the moonlight. The black dye he had used to disguise himself on his journey had completely washed out.

"Aerith." Sephiroth said softly.

"How did you know?" Aerith asked as she stepped outside. She knew of Sephiroth's ability to tell a person's body type just from listening to their footsteps. "I'm the same height as my mother now, and we weigh almost the same."

Sephiroth twisted around to look at her and smirked. "It's the difference of those few pounds that enables me to tell you two apart. Plus, you're more graceful. I think those years of being drugged and poked at caused your mother some slight neurological damage. She's a little more unsteady on her feet than you are…though she wasn't like that at first."

"That's right…" Aerith laughed ruefully as she walked over to Sephiroth and sat down next to him. "Give me more reasons to get angry at the Shinra."

"Would you rather forgive them?" Sephiroth asked, "That wouldn't be fair to yourself or your mother…or your first father."

"…Or you," Aerith added.

Sephiroth said nothing.

"I'm guessing you couldn't sleep either?" she asked, hugging her knees.

Sephiroth stood up, facing away from her so that she couldn't see the uneasy look on his face. She had been in his dreams tonight, laying in bed as he'd approached her, drawing yet another picture of him holding Masamune. Upon closer inspection, he realized that he wore nothing at all, though the position of his leg prevented anything from being shown. Glancing back at Aerith, she had looked up at him with an expression that _dared_ him to react to such a racy drawing.

And react was exactly what he had wanted to do. Gazing at her slender figure, he had wanted nothing more than to grab her art supplies off the bed and fling them across the room before pinning her firmly to the mattress and…

…Waking up.

Part of him was immensely relieved that the dream hadn't progressed further than it did, while a smaller part…that base, reptilian part, had been utterly frustrated. It was the latter reaction that kept him from trying to go back to sleep.

Fresh air had always done him a world of good whenever he had trouble sleeping. It had started when he first settled in Cosmo Canyon with Ifalna and Aerith. He would wake up from a nightmare, and would sneak out through the window, and walk over to the Cosmo Candle. He would sit there, enjoying the combination of the warmth from the eternal flame, and the cool breeze that the nighttime air of the desert provided. Perhaps it had been the novelty of it all. Having spent most of his life trapped indoors, only seeing the sun in virtual reality training programs, he treasured what had been previously denied.

Nothing had changed when he moved to Mideel. The novelty had never worn off, and he often climbed out of his window, and up the slanted walls leading to the roof of the temple. He would stand there, enjoying the feel of the wind against his body, which was clothed only with the shorts he always grabbed before leaving his tiny bedroom(the nights in Mideel were uncomfortably hot, and most of the residents at the temple admitted to sleeping naked).

"Where are you, Seph?" Aerith teased, breaking him out of his thoughts.

He glanced down at her, still sitting in the grass, smiling up at him and shaking her head in good-natured reproach.

"I'd invite you for a walk, but Mom would worry if she woke up and saw that we were gone," Aerith said, "Monsters being more active at night and all…I suppose we could sit here and talk until we get tired."

"A lot of things have changed since I last saw you…" Sephiroth was willing to admit that much. "You've changed. The planet has chosen you to be its champion. As clichéd as this sounds…it's hard for me to accept that you're pretty much an adult now. You mentioned earlier this evening how when you were a baby, I was the only one who could hold you, aside from your mother, without making you cry. It made me remember those days. Again, it sounds clichéd, but time really does fly."

"That time period is such a mixed-bag," said Aerith, "That's why I only let myself think of the parts that mattered the most…like when I used to fall asleep in your lap in the middle of the day, after a rough morning of needles, readings, and being pumped with drugs that made me sick. It's strange…but I always felt better once I laid my head in your lap. Any pain, or dry-heaving…it all stopped. Mind over matter, I suppose. Us Cetra have very interesting minds, after all…" She laughed, and Sephiroth was surprised by the bitterness in her voice.

He stared at Aerith, somewhat surprised.

"Tonight is the first time in years that I've heard you talk so extensively about that time period," he noted.

Aerith nodded sadly. "I was afraid for so long…" she said, her voice barely audible.

"Of what?"

She laughed shakily. "That if I thought about it too much, especially compared to the wonderful life I've lived over here…with friends, a big family, an education, and a community that looks out for me and my brothers and sister…"

She turned away, shaking her head.

"What is it, Aerith?"

"That if I let myself see how cruel and unfair everything was, until you got us out…" Aerith blinked back tears. "…that I might start to cry…and not be able to stop."

Sephiroth immediately placed his hand on her shoulder.

"No, I'm fine," Aerith laughed again, "I'm all right! This is a bad time to start feeling sorry for myself."

"No one said you have to wallow in self-pity," Sephiroth told her, "But just remember…if you keep your true feelings buried, they may come bursting out at the worst possible time. Don't be afraid to let them out at some point. If I hadn't when I was younger…I could see myself losing my mind. And I know I have the potential to cause a lot of damage. It's what I'm afraid might happen to Genesis."

"Genesis was only enhanced while he was in the womb," said Aerith, "Could he really cause so much trouble? You're a lot more powerful than he is."

"Am I?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "I'm not entirely sure. He and Angeal can do some amazing things. From what Mrs. Hewley was saying, right before you went to your room, it seems as though there are certain abilities that this Hollander fellow intended them to have. Something about copying DNA. Hojo spoke of trying that with me long ago, but he made it clear that he was the one who would be doing the work."

"I imagine Angeal and his mother aren't getting much sleep either," Aerith remarked.

Sephiroth nodded in agreement. Angeal had chosen to stay at the inn with his mother, worried that any Shinra spies might be tailing her. His reasoning was that if the Shinra was willing to kill Genesis' parents, why should he believe that they would leave his folks alone?

Aerith stretched out in the tall grass, making herself comfortable.

"Sometimes, when I can't sleep," she explained, "I like to come out here and lie under the stars. Sometimes it helps."

"Then I should leave you be," Sephiroth said as he turned to head back inside.

"No!" Aerith protested suddenly.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Er…I mean…" Aerith suddenly looked self-conscious. "You don't have to. Sometimes, talking helps when you can't sleep. When the planet first called, it really shook me up. I guess I made a lot of noise because Mom came and woke me up. When I talked to her about it, I felt a lot better afterwards."

"Yet you're unable to sleep once again," Sephiroth observed, lying down next to her against his better judgment.

"I should feel relieved," said Aerith, "I thought I would have to go it alone, but you, Angeal and Elfé all want to help me. I'll be riding up north in a truck with three sword-wielders. But…" she trailed off, looking worried.

"But?" Sephiroth prompted her.

"Some of the visions I saw…" Aerith said, wringing her hands, "It wasn't just the vision where I was dead. I think that's the worst-case scenario…which I'm still terrified of. But…I saw both Angeal, and that girl from Midgar…Jessie. I think the thing with Angeal was avoided, because he'd been wearing a SOLDIER uniform."

"He did want to join SOLDIER when they first launched the program," Sephiroth recalled.

"He was already dead," Aerith went on, "and his spirit escorted that of another SOLDIER…about my age…into the lifestream. It was so sad…the boy asked 'Do you think I became a hero?' as if he was trying to find any silver lining in his death."

"You mentioned Jessie?" Sephiroth inquired.

"Yeah…she and two other guys were crushed by some kind of falling structure…like a building, or bridge…I don't know, but it was when she put on that bandana the other day that I remembered…she was wearing it in the dream. I don't know if that's something that was avoided, or might still happen."

"Should you tell Barnabas, then?" Sephiroth suggested, "Maybe he can warn her."

"And say what?" Aerith laughed sadly, "Watch out for falling…things? Warn any male friends of yours who also wear red bandanas? The people in Cosmo Canyon…they understand. They know what I am. But it's only the people here. The satellite members still don't have a clue that this place is home to the last five living Cetra." She sighed. "My mind's all over the place, Seph. I wish I knew what to do."

_SLEEP…_

Aerith gasped as the planet's voice boomed in her head. Then, she smiled.

"What is it?" Sephiroth asked.

"The planet has spoken…" Aerith yawned, "It doesn't want my sleep schedule disturbed by one bad night." She yawned again.

"Then I'll leave you in peace," Sephiroth said as he moved to get up.

Aerith's hand shot out, grabbing Sephiroth's wrist. "Hey…" she whispered.

"Yes?" Sephiroth moved closer, barely able to hear her.

"The planet trusts you," she said softly, barely able to keep her eyes open. "I should trust you too, when you say you won't let me die…"

"You know I won't allow it," Sephiroth whispered, moving closer so that their foreheads were touching. "You mean far too much to me."

Suddenly, Aerith closed the few inches of distance between their faces, briefly pressing her lips against his. Sephiroth froze, unable to respond.

"Thanks…" she whispered, smiling as her eyes closed. She then rolled onto her stomach, her head laying against her outstretched arm.

Stunned, Sephiroth raised his hand to his lips, touching them wondrously. He glanced at Aerith, clad in a camisole and shorts. Fighting the same urge he'd had during his dream, intensified by the kiss, he realized she might be cold, but did not want to move her.

He quietly went back inside, walking over to the linen closet in the hallway. He pulled out an extra blanket and a small throw pillow. Heading back to the kitchen and out the back door, he went over to Aerith and placed the blanket over her sleeping form. Carefully, so as not to wake her, he gently lifted her head, placing the pillow underneath. Satisfied that she would be properly protected against the chilly night air, he made his way toward the door, wondering if she always slept outside so underdressed. She had always been slightly reckless. That hadn't changed.

After turning around and watching her sleep for a moment, he began to feel tired himself, as if watching her was lulling him to sleep. Quickly and silently, he went back inside, closing the door behind him, but leaving it unlocked for Aerith. He then made his way back to the living room, where he stretched out on the couch once more.

Sleep found him much more quickly this time around.

* * *

Aerith woke up feeling completely refreshed. As she sat up, she realized that a blanket covered her, slightly damp with the morning dew. A pillow lay where her head had just been.

_Sephiroth._

She smiled. The blanket bore the faint scent of his musk. Of course he would make sure she stayed warm. She had practically passed out on the spot thanks to the planet's blunt method of helping her sleep.

Her eyes then widened as she recalled the last thing she had done before closing her eyes.

_I kissed him!_

Aerith could feel her face getting flushed. Why in the world had she done that?! Sure, when she was younger, she would occasionally steal a kiss from Sephiroth, but only on the cheek or forehead. She even stopped when she sensed that he might be slightly embarrassed. This had been on the lips! The only time anyone had kissed her there was when that boy had been fresh, and everyone knew how that had ended.

_Okay…calm down,_ she thought, _he didn't pull away, so he couldn't have been _completely_ repulsed. He even got you a blanket and pillow so you'd be comfortable. If you act all weird, then you might end up making it worse…_

She gathered the blanket and pillow in her arms and got up. Opening the door, she stepped into the kitchen.

"Good morning," Ifalna greeted her, standing over the stove, preparing scrambled eggs for seven people.

"Hi, Mom," Aerith said, leaning closer to smell the food. "Mmm…I'm gonna miss that when I'm on the road."

Ifalna's good humor started to fade, but she smiled regardless. "Would you like me to make you some eggy bread* for breakfast tomorrow?"

Aerith smiled back, happy that her mother was offering to cook her favorite breakfast on the day she was to set out. "Would you? You're the best!"

"It's the least I can do. I'm guessing you're pretty nervous if you were sleeping outside. You only do that when you've got too much on your mind to sleep."

"The planet actually put me under," Aerith admitted, "Sephiroth couldn't sleep either, so I saw him out there first. I guess he's the one who left me with these…" She held up the blanket and pillow.

"Can you go wake up your brothers and sister while you throw those in the hamper?" Ifalna asked, "Breakfast is almost ready."

"Sure." Aerith walked out of the kitchen, past the living room and then down the hallway. She knocked on all three doors successively. "Wakey-wakey, guys!"

As she opened the giant hamper inside the bathroom, dumping the pillowcase and blanket inside, the bedroom doors opened. While Gabe quickly headed for the kitchen, eager to eat; both the twins walked over to Aerith looking grim.

"What's the matter?" Aerith asked, noting the grave expressions on her siblings' faces.

"Is it true?" Carlie asked, sounding close to tears, "The planet spoke to the both of us on our dreams last night. Is it true you're leaving?"

Aerith sighed, annoyed that the planet didn't let her handle breaking the bad news herself. "I didn't want to tell you until after the festival…but yes, it's true. The planet wants me to go up north to find a cure for Genesis' sickness…and there's other matters. You know the planet is getting weaker. We can't let that happen. Remember when Bugenhagen showed us his machine?"

"It's just a stupid machine!" Cassius argued, "If the planet were really in danger, there'd be all sorts of earthquakes and tsunamis and stuff!"

"Do you want me to wait until it gets that bad?" Aerith argued, angry at her brother for calling her father's creation "stupid". "I would've loved to just stay here, and enjoy my summer vacation. But I can't! When you're older, you'll understand."

"But why _you_?" Carlie asked, blinking back tears.

"I'm the only one left who can answer the planet's call," Aerith answered, "I guess despite us always hoping throughout the years…we really _are_ the only Cetra left. Gabe and the two of you are too young, and the planet wouldn't want to take Mom away from you when you all need her. That just leaves me."

"But you always said that you were happy to stay right here," said Carlie, "Aren't you scared?"

Aerith nodded sadly. "Yes," she answered truthfully, "I'm terrified. Even though Sephiroth, Angeal and Elfé all volunteered to help me, I know it's going to be dangerous. I haven't been out of this canyon, save for one field trip to the Gold Saucer, since I was five."

"And considering what happened before then," Ifalna said, appearing in the doorway along with Barnabas, "I don't blame Aerith for worrying."

"Whaddaya mean?" Cassius asked, frowning.

Ifalna pursed her lips together worriedly, and then glanced at her eldest child. "Let's sit down at the table," she said at last, "There's some things you need to know about our family…particularly myself and Aerith…"

* * *

"How's your mother doing?" Sephiroth asked as Angeal walked out of the Shildra Inn.

"She's fine," said Angeal, "We were able to reach my dad. After the bombing, he was staying at the union lodge. They're sending an escort from Avalanche to meet him at the Corel docks, and they wired him money for a ticket on the next ship. He should be onboard by now."

"What happens once he arrives?" Sephiroth asked.

"Master Terrato is arranging for them to be sent into hiding," Angeal answered, "Hollander harassed my mother already. What's to stop him from coming after her, especially if he's unable to track me down?"

"It's a good plan," Sephiroth said, nodding.

"Are you all right?" Angeal asked, noticing the tired look on Sephiroth's face.

"Rough night," his friend answered, not wanting to go into the dream or Aerith kissing him. Even if it had been a chaste kiss, Angeal would read into the situation right away. So far, Sephiroth had been successful in keeping his strange new feelings toward Aerith a secret from everyone.

"Today's the day of that summer solstice festival," Angeal remarked as the two began walking back to the Duran house. "I'm trying to remember if you were ever away during this time of the year."

"I haven't," Sephiroth answered, "I left for Mideel right before it happened. According to Aerith, it's mostly lots of booths with food that the locals prepare, along with a dance that the children engage in."

"Does that include the Duran kids?" Angeal asked.

"No," Sephiroth answered flatly, though the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. "Aerith says her footwork is only good for taking down an opponent at ANSMA, Cassius thinks dancing is for girls, and Carlie says that musicians don't dance. I suppose the jury is still out on Gabe when he gets older.

"There's musical performances as well, and the grand finale includes fireworks. I hope it'll do Aerith some good. She seems to be looking forward to the festivities."

"She's carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders," Angeal commented, shaking his head.

"Yes she is," Sephiroth agreed, "I'm glad Elfé agreed to come along as well. Aerith could use an older sister type to talk to."

"I suppose that's better than a couple of bumbling old men like us," Angeal joked.

"Too true," Sephiroth chuckled.

"Hey…speaking of age…" Angeal said slowly, "You know how we always celebrate your birthday at the beginning of the year?"

"Yes…?"

"My mom said your mother died four days after you were born," said Angeal, "And you said that the only information the Network provided about your mother was her date of birth, and date of death."

Sephiroth looked slightly pained as he nodded. "Born July 22nd, died April 9th."

"So your birthday is actually on April 5th," said Angeal, trying to steer the conversation back to his point, "Only one week before mine."

"Once Aerith gets a hold of that information," Sephiroth sighed, "She'll insist on throwing me a party next year."

"Oh? And where _do_ you plan to be next year?" Angeal asked.

"I imagine that hinges on the fight against the Shinra," Sephiroth answered, "You and Genesis can't go back to your normal lives anymore. I have to say, life at the temple would be rather boring without my trips to Banora. Plus, if the Shinra are after Genesis, he can't run the juice company. That means I'm out one job. And without the both of you, my monster-hunting job isn't really as much fun."

"Sorry to be such a burden," Angeal said, smiling sadly.

"Well, I'm sorry that our fathers both turned out to be complete bastards who would exploit us for their own twisted gain," Sephiroth replied gruffly.

Angeal nodded as they continued to walk.

* * *

Cassius was busy practicing with his nunchucks out front when Sephiroth and Angeal arrived at the house. Barnabas sat on the front steps coaching his son.

"That kid's getting good with those," Angeal observed.

Sephiroth nodded in agreement.

"That's good, Cass," Barnabas called out to the boy, "Maybe tomorrow, we can try the reverse figure-eight."

Cassius stopped swinging his weapon, and tucked it into the sheath that his father had bought him the other day.

"Hey, Cass," Angeal greeted the boy.

Cassius looked up distractedly. "Hey…" he muttered.

"You okay?" Angeal asked, concerned.

"Yeah…" the boy said as he walked away.

"What's wrong with Cassius?" Angeal asked, "He seems down."

"We told him and Carlie about Ifalna, Aerith and the Shinra," Barnabas explained, "Plus, they know Aerith's leaving tomorrow morning. They took it a bit hard. Carlie still won't come out of her room. I did hear her singing, though, so I guess she'll still be performing tonight at the festival. But…Carlie's always looked up to her sister…so I guess Aerith leaving is hitting her a bit harder." He sighed, but wore a fond smile on his face. "My baby girl's always been a bit sensitive. Artist's temperament and what-not."

Suddenly, Angeal heard his phone beeping. He quickly dug it out of his pocket and looked at the screen.

_You have 1 voicemail,_ it read.

He dialed in, waiting for the message to start. As it did, his eyes widened.

"It's him!" he said.

Barnabas nodded, waiting to hear what the situation was.

"Hang on, I'll replay it for you on speaker phone," said Angeal.

The front door opened and Aerith walked outside. Angeal motioned her over. As she approached, the raven-haired swordsman pressed the button on his phone, and the irritated voice of Genesis began speaking.

"_Really? After that grand exit I gave you all, you actually let voicemail pick up when I finally call? That's no way to treat a hero! Well, anyway…I tossed my old phone and got myself a pay-as-you-go PHS. The number is 6-26470. Call me back, jerk. Don't worry- no one will trace it._"

"He must have called me when we were at the meeting last night," Angeal surmised, "I can't believe it took so long for the voicemail to show up. I really should sign up for a better plan…maybe RT&amp;T."

"They say Shinra's trying to buy them out," Barnabas warned him, "Sign with them, and all your calls will be monitored…for 'quality assurance', of course…"

"Call him," said Sephiroth, "At least he doesn't sound like he's hurt or in trouble."

"He sounded tired, though," Aerith pointed out worriedly, "Maybe we can meet him somewhere and go to the ghost city together."

Angeal began to dial the number that Genesis had given him.

* * *

*French toast is also known as "eggy bread". However, since there's no France in Final Fantasy, I had to use the lesser-known term. Same way that Barrett is black rather than African American, since there's no Africa or America(same goes for Sazh from FF13).

Thank you to all of my reviewers, particularly my regular ones, who have been supporting me from nearly the beginning. Your comments and encouragement are a big highlight of my writing this story. I'm glad you've been enjoying things so far.


	19. Chapter 8: Fly Away

Greatazuredragon: Awww, why would you want something bad like that to happen? :P

Catxangel: Expect them to touch base regularly by phone, but I haven't decided yet when they will actually reunite face-to-face. They will, however, along with other people also meeting. It simply wouldn't do to not have Angeal meet his biological father, for example.

faunalind: You could tell in Crisis Core that Angeal and his mother were close. She even recognized Zack from Angeal's letters. ("Oh, are you 'Zack the Puppy'?") And though we don't see much of the relationship between Aerith and Ifalna in the original game due to Ifalna's death, we do know that she wanted her daughter to grow up strong, and that she gave up her own life for her daughter's freedom. That's some serious love right there.

Aerodwen: As I said in my PM, I hope to not disappoint when things _do_ boil over with Aerith and Sephiroth.

JazzQueen: Hojo probably doesn't even remember his _own_ birthday, let alone care about his son's, which he probably only has written down for scientific posterity.

badnephilim: Yes, but the dreams are only going to get worse. Expect something very amusing to happen to Aerith in a later chapter… ;)

* * *

Chapter 8: Fly Away

_"__Don't worry about me," _Genesis said over speaker-phone,_ "I've found my own way to deal with the Shinra. I'll pay those bastards back, and if I succumb to this sickness, I'll take every last one of those soulless monsters with me!"_

"You don't have to die!" Aerith argued worriedly, "The planet told my mother that the answer can be found up north. After conferring with our contacts in Bone Village, there's an old city that used to be populated by my people thousands of years ago. There's probably some kind of spell or medicine that can help cleanse your body."

There was a brief silence, before Genesis sighed, clearly relieved.

_ "__You're a peach, Aerith," _he chuckled,_ "Look, I've got my own agenda to stick to, but you call me once you're there. I'll catch up with you as soon as I can."_

"You should be resting!" Angeal scolded his friend.

_ "__Would _you_ be resting if it had been your parents? _Genesis asked,_ "Their bodies were still in the morgue when I arrived back home, waiting for me to come and claim them so I could give them a proper burial. I couldn't bring myself to do that, though...not while the Shinra continue to get away with these kinds of crimes. I had them cremated instead. Once I'm better…and once we all do our parts to take the Shinra down, I'll take part of their ashes and spread them over their favorite beach…and I'll bury the rest of them at the old homestead. Right now, it's swarming with Shinra personnel."_

"Genesis…" Angeal closed his eyes and sighed, clearly saddened by his friend's situation.

"I don't know about this idea of you fighting your own war against the Shinra," Sephiroth said pointedly, "We'd be better off fighting together."

_ "__Trust me…" _said Genesis, _"Where I stand, I have a huge advantage. At a certain point, I'll tell you more, but for now, I only wanted to let you know that I'm still alive. I'll be throwing out this phone after I'm done, so as the old saying goes, 'Don't call us- we'll call you'."_

"Insufferable as always…" Sephiroth grumbled.

_ "__This is for your safety," _said Genesis,_ "Not just you, Sephiroth, but Aerith and her family as well."_

Angeal's eyes widened as everything suddenly clicked: the secrecy, the disposable phones, claiming to have an advantage, yet worrying about Sephiroth and Aerith's safety. "Tell me you didn't fly into the belly of the beast, Genesis!" he said sharply, "Did you agree to work for the Shinra after all they did?!"

"You're even more out of your mind than I thought if that's true, Genesis," Sephiroth added.

_ "'__My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey'," _Genesis recited_, "All the same, don't worry too much about me. I'm sure you'll both make sure Aerith gets to that city safely. By the way…Sephiroth? Check your account at the Money Union. I've wired half of my fortune to your account. I decided it was secure enough, and I've covered my tracks. You'll need money to get to wherever you'll need to go. Once we convene, we can all compare notes."_

"If you don't get yourself in over your head," Angeal warned him.

_ "'__Even if the morrow is barren of promises'," _Genesis quoted once again_, "'Nothing shall forestall my return'."_

He then hung up.

"I hate when he says that," Sephiroth griped.

* * *

Elfé and Aerith sat watching as the children danced at a safe distance around the flames of the Cosmo Candle that night. Nearby, Aerith's family sat, watching the goings-on as well, save for Barnabas, who was in deep discussion with Terrato, likely over something Avalanche-related. Both young women could feel the tension in the air getting thicker, as if the end of the Wutai War would be the start of something worse.

Gabe got up from Barnabas' lap. When his father asked where he was going, the toddler replied: "Want peace and quiet!", in reference to their unending conversation. Barnabas watched in amusement as the boy walked over to Aerith and plopped right down in her lap.

"Well, hi there," Aerith giggled.

"Daddy too loud," Gabe complained.

"He's talking business again, huh?" Aerith asked.

Gabe nodded, settling against his sister's shoulder.

"There you are," said Sephiroth as he and Angeal approached the family. They had been visiting with Gillian, informing her of Genesis' call, and letting her know everything that had happened. Afterward, they took it upon themselves to buy everything they would need for travelling.

Aerith looked up and saw that Sephiroth no longer wore his monk robes. He was clad in a black trench coat and white sleeveless shirt. Silver pauldrons that matched his hair were attached to his shoulders, the leather straps crisscrossing across his chest. He wore form-fitting black pants and matching black boots.

Angeal had also changed out of his T-shirt and khakis, wearing what looked like a modified SOLDIER uniform: a black sleeveless shirt, dark grey pauldrons, and matching baggy cargo pants, along with steel-toed boots.

"Looking sharp, boys," Elfé commented wryly as they settled down next to her and Aerith.

"Why, thank you," Angeal said with a grin.

"Does this mean you're officially no longer a monk?" Ifalna asked as she reached forward and fingered the high collar of Sephiroth's coat.

"I can't answer that question yet," Sephiroth said, shaking his head, "The temple has been my home for over a decade. Right now, I can't go back…but how we fare on our mission…the answer depends on that."

Aerith looked away. Despite the looming length of the time they would likely be spending together, she hated the idea of Sephiroth returning to Mideel once again. It reminded her of that day when she was five, and Sephiroth had announced that he was leaving. It had taken her days to recover from that loss.

"You're just in time," Elfé informed the two swordsmen, "Carlie is about to go on."

"Ah, good," Sephiroth remarked, noting that the young girl was nowhere to be seen.

The residents of Cosmo Canyon burst into applause as the drum beat ceased, and the village children stopped dancing.

Aerith watched as her sister approached her spot at the center of the podium. She then glanced around. Her family, Sephiroth, her friends…everyone sat here near the Cosmo Candle, around her. Although it would have been perfect had Genesis been with him, his phone call was enough for her to consider him to be with them…in spirit, anyway. She smiled happily as the musicians started to play once more, and Carlie began to sing…

* * *

He found her again later that night, lying in the backyard, this time covered by a blanket, resting her head on a pillow. Her head turned to look at him the minute the sliding door opened, and she smiled.

"This is becoming a habit, I see," Sephiroth said as he sat down next to her.

Aerith fidgeted uncomfortably underneath her blanket. Neither one of them had mentioned the brief kiss she had given him the previous night, and it was getting to her.

"What's on your mind this time?" Sephiroth asked.

"SOLDIER," Aerith replied, "and how you would have probably been running it."

"I'm glad I avoided that," Sephiroth remarked.

"But even so…" Aerith looked troubled, "…you enjoyed fighting…and you still do. Otherwise you and your friends wouldn't have become bounty hunters. I remember you looked excited when you and Daddy sparred all those years ago. And the letters you sent…you told me about fighting off a bandit once. When Miss Elliott read me that letter…I was so worried you were going to say you had killed him."

"I do have blood on my hands…" Sephiroth told her, "…and I regret it now. I wish there had been a way for us to escape without a single life being lost. However…I think about it from time to time…and I still can't come up with a way we could have gotten away…not without one or more of _us_ getting killed, most likely."

"You changed for the better," Aerith acknowledged, "But all those members of SOLDIER…thousands of young men…all the stories I've heard about them from the members of Avalanche who were on the front lines in Wutai…it's the same thing. Those guys really loved to fight.

"The idea that someone can fight to the death and love it…" Aerith said softly, "That's kind of scary…"

"What about your grappling classes?" Sephiroth asked. "It seems as though you enjoy your classes. Barnabas tells me you're very good."

"Fatherly pride…" Aerith said dismissively, "He sees everything differently because he's my dad."

"I doubt that," Sephiroth replied. "But you _do_ enjoy sparring, don't you?"

"It's more like playing," said Aerith. "The truth is…if I really had to use my skills to defend myself…I'd try to do as little damage as possible. I know blood chokes that might put a person to sleep…but I could never cut off a person's air supply. It's just wrong! I'd rather put someone to sleep and run away than suffocate them, or even break their bones. And now that the planet is preparing to kick me out into the world and do…I don't even know what…I know I'll have to fight. Seph, I'm scared…I'm _really_ scared!"

Sephiroth suddenly looked around, from one side to the other.

"I don't see anything we have to fight right now," he told her.

"But later on-!" Aerith began to protest.

"-Then we'll worry about it then," said Sephiroth, "Worrying about it now, thinking too much…that is going to eat away at your mind, and when the time does come to fight, your psyche might be damaged to the point where it will get in the way. We can't have that happen."

"Then what do I do?" Aerith asked.

"What do you usually do when something stresses you out?" Sephiroth asked.

Aerith scrunched her face briefly, thinking. Then, she got up and headed for the door.

"Be right back," she told Sephiroth.

She went inside. Not two minutes later, she re-emerged, holding a clipboard with a piece of paper attached to it. She also held a couple of pencils and put a finger to her chin, thinking once more.

"The Cosmo Candle," she said, finally.

"The fire?" Sephiroth asked.

"Yeah," she said as she sat back down, "I used to try drawing the Cosmo Candle…I always failed. Maybe because it's always moving. I even took a picture of it and tried copying that, but it still didn't work. Maybe it's time to lose myself in another challenge. It's been two years since I last tried. I know the area so well, I can draw everything but the flame itself from memory."

Putting a pencil in each hand, she began drawing lines simultaneously, as she always did. Sephiroth had never heard of any artists who used both hands to draw, and Aerith always said with good humor that her two-handed ability was why she was so fast at creating her drawings. He also noticed when watching Aerith spar with Elfe, that she often changed her grip on her staff at rapid speed, allowing her to change her stance to suit her needs.

And here Sephiroth thought he'd had an advantage by simply being left-handed. If he'd been an equilateral ambidextrous like Aerith was, he would easily best both Genesis and Angeal in combat.

Ambidexterity seemed to be a Cetra trait, however. His perceptiveness allowed him to observe Aerith's mother and siblings. While Aerith and Carlie typically wrote with their right hands(both had explained that it was easier to go with how they'd been taught at school), Ifalna and Cassius wrote with their left hands(Ifalna always remembered doing so, and Cassius had picked his left hand to write with in order to stand out). The jury was still out on Gabe.

"I'll leave you to it, then," Sephiroth said to Aerith as he began to walk away.

"Thanks, Seph," she called out after him.

"Always," he called back on his way to the house.

* * *

Dr. Hollander rolled over and got out of bed, careful not to wake Scarlet. He wasn't trying to be considerate, so much as he simply didn't want to hear her voice so early in the morning.

He was now ultimately convinced now that the prettier a woman was, the worse she was in bed. It was as if they expected their looks alone to satisfy a man. Why should they need to do anything aside from lie there like a corpse?

While his sex life didn't compare to the pansexual Shinras(nor did he visit whorehouses like the Honeybee Inn), he _had_ been with many women in his life. Gillian had been the only exception to Hollander's theory on attractive women.

When Scarlet _had_ made an effort to try and satisfy him, her long nails proved to be a painful liability. On top of it all, the noises she made in bed were even more displeasing to the ears than that insipid "Kya-ha-ha!" laugh of hers. No, Hollander was now thankful that he would be able to report to work in just a few hours.

He collected his clothes, intending to put on the bare minimum so as not to be arrested for public indecency. Throwing on his pants, shoes, and buttoning up his lab-coat so that his bare chest would not be revealed, he scribbled a quick goodbye note(the last thing he needed was for her to get angry at him and stop doing him favors such as the bombing) and hurried out of Scarlet's apartment as quickly as he could. He could put on his socks, shirt and underwear once he made it to the nearest men's room. So long as he got out right away…

When he finally made it to his destination, he felt his PHS vibrating. He took it out and looked at the caller ID: Genesis. Grinning, he answered.

"Good morning!" he said heartily, "Where have you been hiding these days?"

"_Just enjoying the perks of life on Midgar's plate,_" Genesis answered, "_And you? How goes the cure?_"

"I think I might have made a breakthrough last night," Hollander lied, "We should meet up today."

"_I was thinking the same thing,_" said Genesis, "_The situation with Angeal is quite delicate. I'm sorry to say, he feels absolutely no loyalty toward you whatsoever. He's rather close to his mother, and the father who raised him. He's content to take down the Shinra in his own way…with the help of Avalanche. You understand, however, that I don't want to give too much away. Should the Shinra betray you again, I'd hate for them to torture any information out of you. Best for everyone to think we're both co-operating._"

"Of course!" Hollander said right away. He had no problem steering clear of Avalanche for now. He did not want them ruining his chances of revenge by stopping Shinra before he and Genesis did. Once he did learn what their new plans were, he would let Scarlet know. He would have to be careful not to let Genesis find out, however(and he knew that avoiding such a thing would prove difficult).

"_Deepground. Your office at noon._" Genesis then hung up.

Hollander heaved an annoyed sigh. That kid was pushy as hell…probably his upbringing, being raised by wealthy folks. He probably wasn't used to not getting his own way yesterday.

Whatever. Once Hollander got his revenge, he'd get around to fixing whatever was wrong with Genesis. He knew he'd hold out long enough. For now, he'd indulge the boy…

* * *

Sephiroth walked outside of the grocery store around mid-morning, an entire sack of nonperishable food slung over his shoulder. Angeal was at the Duran house giving his truck a final tune-up, making sure that it would be up for the journey to Rocket Town. Elfé was probably there by now as well.

He reached into the bag and pulled out a strip of beef jerky. Tearing it out of the package wrap, he tossed the trash into the nearest garbage can and bit down, tearing a piece of the spicy jerky with his teeth.

"Hey, you!" a young man about Aerith's age stepped into Sephiroth's path. Standing nearby were several other teenagers.

"My name's Drake," he said boldly, "I'm a friend of Aerith's. I know she's leaving with you and Elfé, and that other guy today. We all said our goodbyes…" He made a sweeping motion with his arm, indicating the group of teens standing behind him. "…last night. But…well…Aerith means a lot to us…so please…take good care of her, okay?"

"Mm-hmm…" Sephiroth mumbled, still chewing on his jerky.

"Thanks…hey- you ever get thrown by her?" Drake asked, leaning in closer, almost conspiratorially.

Sephiroth shook his head, slightly amused at the idea of Aerith ever besting him physically.

"It's the weirdest thing…" the boy continued, "The minute she has her hands on you, it doesn't feel like an attack. It's like…I dunno…like a friendly, gentle hug. But then she takes your balance, gets the leverage, and _WHAM!_" He pounded his fist for emphasis. "Then you're stating up at her from flat on your back, and you never even know what hit you…well…besides the floor. It's kinda scary."

"Oh really?" one of the girls said jeeringly, "If it's so 'scary', why do you keep trying to pair off with her during throws?"

"Yeah, you _love_ it when she throws you," another boy teased.

"Don't you both need to go stick your heads in an oven or something?" Drake groused.

Sephiroth swallowed his jerky and cleared his throat loudly. The group of teens looked back at him.

"I promise to keep her safe," he said solemnly, "I made that promise a long time ago."

_The first time I ever held her…_he realized. There hadn't been any words…just a feeling, once he'd handed the infant back to Ifalna and walked back to the grate leading back to the vent tunnels.

"That's all we wanna hear," Drake said with a smile, "We're on our way to ANSMA now for morning class. Guess we're just gonna have to get used to Aerith not joining us for a while."

He and the others walked off, waving.

Sephiroth couldn't help but smile sadly. Aerith had a lot of people who cared deeply for her. Damn…he had a lot more people counting on him than he thought.

* * *

"Really…how old is this thing?" Elfé asked as she leaned against the truck.

"Could you please not do that?" Angeal grunted, "You're causing the truck to press down and the movement of my arms is restricted."

"Are you making a comment on my weight?" Elfé's voice was icy.

"Uh…" Angeal suddenly felt uncomfortable.

"Heh…just messing with you," Elfé chuckled, "I'm not one of those girls who gets triggered over perceived sleights."

"Good to know," Angeal said as he slid out from underneath the truck, covered in grease.

"Here," Elfé handed him a towel. She then noticed Sephiroth approaching. "Hey, just in time! Looks like we're almost all set!"

"Where's Aerith?" Sephiroth asked as he approached the truck.

"Inside saying goodbye to her family," said Elfé.

* * *

"You have _everything_ you need?" Ifalna asked, for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, Mom," Aerith and Barnabas both chorused, the latter answering in a joking manner. Barnabas grinned and patted Aerith on the head while his adoptive daughter giggled.

Ifalna smiled amusedly. Then she hugged Aerith.

"The Planet chose me for this mission," Aerith said solemnly, "I won't fail."

"Of course you won't," her mother assured her, "So long as you let it guide you, and you keep your wits about you, you'll be fine. And having Sephiroth and the others with you, well, that just makes me feel even better."

Ifalna then held up one finger before leaving the living room. When she returned, she carried a gift-wrapped box in her hands.

"Here…" she handed it to Aerith. "Open it."

Aerith tore the paper and removed the top of the box. She looked inside and pulled out a package of pencils, and a new set of drawing pens that had several shades of grey. Below was a sketch pad, which she took out. She opened it up, feeling the very thick paper, obviously made to absorb the ink from the pens.

"You're going to see the world, Aerith," Barnabas told her, "It'd be a shame if you didn't capture everything you see. I know how fast you can put things down on paper."

"It's like you got me a visual diary…" Aerith said, her voice suddenly overcome with emotion. She looked up at her parents, her eyes welling up. "Thank you…I'll use it every night when we stop to rest."

"Maybe you can write a book about your travels," Barnabas suggested.

"Maybe…" Aerith acknowledged, blinking back her tears. "…though you'll have to help me by taking out the Shinra. I doubt their publishers would ever let a book from me see the light of day."

Barnabas nodded. "If you can save Genesis, we'd wind up with some mighty powerful allies, even if Avalanche doesn't see it that way."

"I know you're counting on me," said Aerith, "I won't let you down."

She threw her arms around Ifalna and Barnabas, who returned the embrace.

The back door could be heard sliding open, and the twins ran inside a moment later.

"Wait!" Carlie cried, "Don't leave without saying goodbye to us!"

She and Cassius managed to squeeze inside the group hug.

"Never!" Aerith insisted, "As if I could forget something that important!"

Dr. Triton entered the room as well, carrying Gabe.

"Well, so much for leaving quietly," said Aerith.

"Yes, too bad for you," snapped the doctor good-naturedly as she pulled Aerith away from her family and embraced her tightly with one arm, "You've got a lot of nerve, Aerith! Trying to sneak out like that?"

"I didn't want people to make a fuss…" Aerith protested.

"Well, too bad!" Dr. Triton said bluntly as she held Gabe up, "Now say goodbye to your baby brother."

"Yes, ma'am," Aerith said, affecting a mock meekness in her tone. She picked up little Gabe, and regarded him sadly. "You're probably going to learn a whole bunch of new words by the time I come back," she said, starting to choke up again, "Maybe you'll learn to pronounce the letter 'R' correctly…"

"Why you cwying?" Gabe asked, concerned.

"Because I'm going to miss you, silly!" Aerith said, poking the toddler's nose.

"Where you going?" he asked innocently.

"You know our new friend Genesis?" Aerith reminded him as she wiped a tear from her eye, "He's very sick, and the special people want me to go help him. So I have to go away for a while. The twins are going to read to you while I'm gone, and they promised me they'll do a good job."

She turned and wiped her eyes before giving Cassius a meaningful glare.

Rather than sulk, Cassius merely nodded, subdued. "I'll do it," he assured Aerith.

"And I'll sing him to sleep," Carlie promised.

Aerith smiled. "Then he'll have very nice dreams," she replied.

* * *

Angeal sat in the truck, while Sephiroth sat in the bed, having offered Elfé shotgun.

Finally, the front door opened, and Aerith walked out, wiping her eyes. Not looking back, she walked over to the truck and tossed her belongings in the back. She climbed in, sitting down next to Sephiroth. Not saying a word, she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Sephiroth sighed as he felt his shirt growing damp, and simply put his arm around Aerith.

"Go, now!" Aerith sobbed, "Please!"

Angeal quickly shifted into gear, and the truck slowly made its way off the property, gaining speed as it headed out of Cosmo Canyon, and deeper into the desert.

"Next stop, Corel," Elfé said quietly.

Angeal only nodded wordlessly, while Sephiroth continued to silently comfort Aerith.

* * *

Ifalna sat in the bedroom that night, gazing out the window. Barnabas walked in, toweling his hair dry after having taken a shower. He stopped and looked at his wife, before walking over to her.

"I hate seeing my li'l tiger so sad," he sighed, putting his arms around her. "I'm worried about Aerith, too. Plus, it's hard to believe so much time has passed. I remember the first time we had dinner with the 'Dragon Lady'. That little girl would not say a word to me."

"She used to be so frightened of other adults," Ifalna recalled, "But I think thanks to you and your aunt, she came out of her shell. Talking about memories…I still remember when we told her we were getting married."

"And the first thing she said was, 'I'm gonna have a daddy?'," Barnabas chuckled.

"I didn't realize until then how much not having a father affected her," Ifalna sighed, "She was so happy. And then when we told her about the twins…I'd never seen her smile so much."

"Time goes by so fast…" Barnabas said wistfully. "One day, Gabe'll grow up too,"

"No!" Ifalna turned around and stated with a stubborn expression on her face, "He's not allowed to grow up. He needs to stay my baby boy."

Barnabas laughed.

"I know she needs to do this," Ifalna sighed, "The planet wouldn't have sent her out into the world unless it was very important. I'm just so worried that she'll be entangled with the Shinra…Barnabas, if they get their hands on her again, I don't know _what_ I'll do!"

"As if Sephiroth would ever let that happen," said Barnabas.

"I worry about Sephiroth as well," said Ifalna, "He might wind up facing some very old demons. I know whatever those four do, will pit them against that corporate empire. Hojo still runs the science department…and I'm sure he's still very angry that we escaped."

"And I'm sure Sephiroth would like to see Hojo thwarted in the ultimate sense," said Barnabas. He walked over to the bed and stretched out on it. "That's what Terrato and I were discussing last night. If the Shinra empire is toppled, an interim government will be needed to maintain order in Midgar. Avalanche should be the ones to see to that. We can't just let that megalopolis descend into chaos just because we got what we wanted. And if we can topple the empire, the first thing we need to do is expose all of the key players…then we try them. That includes Hojo. But I know that despite everything he's done…the lives he's ruined, and taken…you, Aerith, and even Sephiroth, you don't want him murdered."

"No," Ifalna agreed, "Sephiroth decided long ago that if he were to kill Hojo, he'd be no better than him. Life imprisonment is the only punishment I'll agree to, and the same goes for Sephiroth and Aerith. I think all of the Shinra executives should face the same punishment."

"Somehow, I doubt the president will stand for that," Barnabas stated, "I think he'd take his own life before allowing himself to be captured."

"That's his decision to make, then," said Ifalna, "along with anyone else who feels the same way. But Avalanche is treading on dangerous territory right now. If they're not careful, they could get carried away…and may wind up being another Shinra…though I don't dare say that in public."

"I know," Barnabas agreed.

Ifalna got up from her chair and went over to the bed, getting underneath the covers and snuggling next to her husband.

"Don't get me wrong though," she said, "I'm happy for the victories that Avalanche has achieved. I'm so glad that Wutai finally got its freedom. Even though so many had to die to achieve it."

"I could've been one of those people," Barnabas said thoughtfully.

"Huh?" Ifalna stared at her husband, confused.

"If I hadn't met you," Barnabas explained, "I would've had absolutely nothing keeping me here. I'd have been on the front lines in Wutai instead. Maybe I'd be dead, and Elfé would have had to run Avalanche. There's no way Master Terrato would've survived that heart-attack if you hadn't been here to heal him that day. And Elfé? She'd still have that cursed materia stuck in her hand. Oh, she'd be a force to be reckoned with, but she'd be alone…if she even lived that long herself."

"That Fuhito boy would have been exploiting her," Ifalna added.

"Yeah,"

"If I hadn't met you…" Ifalna sighed, "…you know…I don't want to think about that. All I know is that these past twelve years have been heaven. Cosmo Canyon has been heaven, and I couldn't see myself ever leaving."

"Who said anything about leaving?" Barnabas said with a grin, "You…" He pulled his wife close to him. "…are staying right here…"

He then kissed her. When they pulled back, the both of them looked at the clock at the same time. It was half-past eleven.

"Safe?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Safe," Ifalna replied before moving in for another kiss.

* * *

A/N: I'm still deciding how Hollander would react if he were to meet Aerith, Sephiroth and Elfé, who were all at one point in time, prisoners of Hojo. I imagine Hojo would have no interest in Elfé since the Zirconiade piece is no longer embedded in her hand, and the same goes for Fuhito. However, the latter does know where the extracted piece is…the same place where three innocent children and their wanted fugitive of a mother(and father as well) live. There's a lot of different fans spinning around, and an abundance of shit nearby. ;)

On another note, we're SOOOOOO close to 100 reviews! As of the moment I post this chapter, we're at 92. How about it? Tell me what you think of the story, and let's push the reviews to the big 1-0-0 and beyond! Whaddaya say?! Don't worry, I won't hold the fic hostage or anything like the crappy writers do. It'd just be really cool, is all.


	20. Chapter 9: Heroes Of The Dawn

Shout-outs:

Greatazuredragon: Glad you're enjoying Genesis. You can enjoy him some more this chapter. :D Hmm…Aerith controlling WEAPON…I've seen it done in other fiction. However, as far as dangerous reactions go, I'd be most frightened of Ifalna's reaction should anything happen to her AU children, considering she's pretty much married to Avalanche now. ;) And this is the large, serious terrorism-threat first incarnation from Before Crisis- not the piddly 6-person gang that Barrett runs in the beginning of the original game. Shinra beware!

catxangel: There isn't much Sephiroth can learn about Lucrecia from Vincent that wasn't already told by Ifalna and Gillian, save for the more intimate details like her favorite color, or her personal philosophies. Granted, that would likely be something Seph would love to learn. The more sinister Dirge of Cerberus stuff, however, even Vincent has yet to find out. How that'll happen in this universe…probably won't be seen until the next story. As it stands right now, I have a trilogy planned, with maybe a couple one-shots here and there. Don't expect the Shinra to be taken out too quickly, as Jenova is the primary threat that the planet warned Aerith about.

However, expect to see all three of the characters you mentioned. Zack and Cloud will appear much sooner than Vincent, however.

Guest: Sometimes it's fun just to write a bit of fluff between couples. Glad you liked it, though, considering Ifalna isn't even a main character in the original game. And as for Hollander, a little sexual humor is the perfect way for me to test the lemony waters. There isn't much I can say about Genesis however, without spoiling the story. :X

JazzQueen: Well, they do have similar end goals…the only problem is that Genesis wants Shinra taken out any way he can, while Hollander JUST wants Angeal and Genesis to do it…and possibly Deepground, now that he's been put in charge of them.

badnephilim: The goodbye scene was difficult to write without making it too sentimental. That's why I eventually just jump cut to Aerith running out of the house and begging Angeal to peel out.

* * *

Chapter 9: Heroes of the Dawn

"Ah, good morning," the director of SOLDIER said warmly, "Come on in. Zack, isn't it? It's good to finally meet face to face."

Zack stepped into the office, walking over to the lanky bespectacled blond man in the sharp pinstripe suit.

"Director Lazard," the man introduced himself, though he needed no introduction. He smiled and extended his hand to Zack.

The SOLDIER promptly shook the man's hand. "Heya," he said informally.

Lazard chuckled softly, and then turned to the computer nearby. "Onto business," he stated. He pointed at the on-screen image of a redheaded young man dressed in a new red overcoat. "SOLDIER 1st Class Genesis Rhapsodos…" Lazard announced grandly. He then closed his eyes as if bringing himself back to reality. "That is…we eventually hope to call him that. Genesis is quite possibly the greatest candidate for SOLDIER we've had in years. However…we're still busy pulling out most of our troops out of Wutai. We need someone who can basically show this young man the ropes of SOLDIER life as he trains for the program."

"'Kay…" Zack said, crossing his arms and looking at the computer, "But…why would you talk to me about it when this guy seems to be headed straight for 1st Class? I'm just a lowly 2nd Class myself."

"Hmm…" Director Lazard chuckled again, "True…but it seems some of your superior officers have recommended you for 1st. What do you say now?"

Zack's mouth dropped open in shock. He began laughing excitedly and threw his hands up in the air, shouting to the ceiling: "I _LOVE_ MY SUPERIOR OFFICERS!"

Lazard smiled amusedly. "Is that a yes, then? You accept?"

Zack suddenly seemed to get a hold of himself, standing at attention. "Yes, sir!" he said as if Lazard were a commanding officer.

"Well, then I suggest you have a seat and make yourself comfortable," said Lazard, gesturing at a chair nearby, "He'll be here any minute now, and I can introduce the two of you formally."

Zack quickly sat down, unable to conceal the big goofy grin on his face. SOLDIER 1st Class! Finally, a chance to do something meaningful! The senseless war in Wutai had gone on long enough. He and his friends had all agreed it was time for a change. No, rather, _everyone_ seemed to be saying it…on TV, in the streets:

_We need a change._

Zack wasn't sure why, but he had a good feeling right now. It was as if all the stars and planets were aligning…if he even believed in such things. Something was telling him that this promotion, this job…was the chance to finally leave behind the seedy desert missions and finally make a name for himself…

…Maybe even be a hero.

* * *

Genesis squinted as the mid-morning sun shined directly in his face while he walked on the streets of Midgar's elite Plate. He looked around the beautiful, pristine top floor of the city; the only part of the megalopolis that was on the surface. Celebrities, the upper-class, and all of Shinra's top executives called the Plate home, along with dozens upon dozens of stores that sold only to those who could afford it. A paradise for the wealthy, and yet, most of the residents of Midgar could never hope to enjoy such a place.

When Hollander had explained everything to him, including Scarlet's idea to bomb Banora based on a false lead, he had encouraged Genesis to not hide his anger over the deaths of his parents. That was fine by Genesis, as he had no intentions of doing so. However, he eventually met with the president, albeit via a video chat courtesy of Hollander. The president had explained everything: the story of his birth, the identity of his biological mother and father, and his deepest apologies over the "tragic mix-up" that had cost his adoptive parents their lives.

Genesis had indeed been shocked to learn that he was actually the president's nephew, but Hollander reminded him that blood ties aside, he had been against the Shinra for years, and their clumsiness with their own military was a clear reason why he should never trust them. Plus, why did the president want his late sister's son back _now_ after all this time?

All good points.

Hollander had also promised to research a cure for Genesis' condition, which had relieved him greatly at first. However, he had felt much more reassured when Aerith promised him the same thing on her end. Why he trusted a seventeen-year-old girl over a man who lived and breathed science for the majority of his life, he wasn't sure.

It had begun when he and his friends had left Banora to travel to Cosmo Canyon. Loveless and its similarities to Genesis' own life began to stand out. At first, he wondered if the "gift of the Goddess" was the cure Sephiroth hoped Ifalna(the Goddess herself?) would provide. Now it seemed that Aerith bore the burden of finding the cure(Goddesses were not bound by age as far as he knew). Which of the three main characters were he, Sephiroth and Angeal?

Time would tell. But for now, he had to get to Shinra Headquarters. He had an important appointment with the director of SOLDIER. Despite the fact that his "maker" had been put in charge of a top-secret branch of SOLDIER, the president, vice-president(his cousin, apparently) and director Lazard(rumored to also be his cousin…unofficially) had all agreed that Genesis belonged in the mainstream SOLDIER program.

Hollander seemed to be fine with that. He had told Genesis that he had his own plans for Deepground, only he wasn't ready to share what they were quite yet. That had been fine with Genesis, who had his own secrets to keep. He had told Hollander that it wasn't safe to arrange a meeting with Angeal quite yet…that Angeal would rather challenge Shinra directly(and with honor) rather than take them down using deceit and treachery…treachery that Genesis and Hollander both agreed could get them killed if they were ever discovered by the wrong people.

As he hurried up the street leading to Midgar's tallest building, he passed by two men wearing the signature Turk uniform. The fact was, he had passed by many Turks, and his enhanced hearing picked up part of their covert radio conversations as he hurried along. He knew he was being monitored. Thankfully, he had only used his wing in front of Hollander, who had been waiting for him in Banora when he'd first arrived after leaving Cosmo Canyon. No one else knew about it, though they would the second he used it. He knew, therefore, that his wing would only be good for one escape. He would have to make it count. He would also have to give a very good reason for the Shinra not to grow suspicious if he were to randomly start disappearing.

As he approached the building, the door opened and he saw two female Turks walking out. However, they were conversing with one another, and not paying any attention to him at first.

The taller one, with the sandy-colored hair tied back high, noticed him first. The shorter copper-haired woman followed the other's gaze.

Genesis couldn't help but stare at the taller one. He had never met any Turks personally, but something about that one just seemed too familiar. Rather than obsess on it, however, he decided to let the matter go. He smiled politely and waved at the two women before opening the doors and heading inside.

However, as he waited for the receptionist to provide him with the proper cardkey, the face of a preteen girl in a fancy gold dress suddenly stood out. Genesis never forgot a face, and that was indeed the face of the Turk woman he had just seen…he was sure of it. However, instead of sandy hair, the girl's long hair was a deep green, like the jungles of Mideel.

He could have sworn he had seen that woman before years ago, during his younger days…but where? The shotgun she carried on her back didn't bring back any memories, but the confident expression and the flowing hair…he simply couldn't get out of his head.

_Wait a minute…_he thought as an event from nearly ten years ago popped in his head.

* * *

_"__Your parents were kind enough to invite us to this event," Angeal said firmly, "I'd rather _not_ cause any shenanigans while we're here."_

_Sephiroth said nothing, merely adjusting his bowtie for the umpteenth time._

_ "__God, you're both so boring sometimes," Genesis complained as he took another bite of a dumb-apple. He looked around at the other youths attending the event, hoping to find someone who would have his enthusiasm toward a good old harmless prank._

_It was the annual Mideel Gala that many of the independently wealthy(meaning independent of Shinra) members of society flocked to every spring. This year, Genesis' parents had wanted to bring him along to celebrate the launching of his new company. Indeed, there was plenty of Banora White apple juice in the punch bowls for guests to sample. Genesis had agreed to come, hoping that guests from the main continents would sample his product and spread the word, helping the demand for The Rhapsodos Company's Banora White apple juice(and future food products) to grow._

_What he had discovered was how patronizing people had been once they tried the juice, praising it to high heavens in a way that he did not buy at all. What he came to realize was that the adults only saw him as a fifteen-year-old boy with a pretend business, trying to rub elbows with the "grown-ups", selling what they considered to be a childish product. He had even had his parents procure extra tickets to the event for his two "business partners", only to be made a fool of in front of them._

_So yes, it was safe to say that Genesis Rhapsodos was absolutely livid. In the upper-class world, fifteen years old was not an age to be taken seriously. While in the world that Angeal and Sephiroth came from, someone their age could be living independently, working full-time at a steady blue-collar job, Genesis knew that in his world, he was expected to go to school for the next seven years at _least_, wasting his short life in a classroom memorizing useless facts by rote. Was this, however, what he would have to resign himself to? Would his business be regarded as nothing more than the equivalent of a lemonade stand by the side of the road?_

_Angeal and Sephiroth had attempted to cheer him up, but Genesis couldn't get over seeing everyone in their stuffy evening wear, chuckling over silly recycled jokes. It sounded petulant on his part, but he wanted everyone there to feel as rattled as he did. If his friends wouldn't help him, he would need to find somebody else.  
_

_His eyes soon settled on a young girl who couldn't have been much older than eleven, emerging from the ladies' room. The dyed-green hair made it virtually impossible to miss her. Glancing back at the grown-ups, he wondered which set of parents she belonged to. Most likely, it would be the ones who were making the most effort to pretend that the girl didn't exist…unless she had come with a friend like Sephiroth and Angeal had done._

_Genesis decided that either option made no difference. Any girl bold enough to show up to a fancy event like this with punk-colored hair would be more than happy to assist in his brilliant idea. He immediately went over to the girl and presented his idea, without detailing the reason behind his idea.  
_

_ "__And do you need me as a lookout, or is there something else you want me to do?" the girl asked right away._

_ "__Follow me to catering…" he said as he pulled on the bracer he wore, which had been slotted with the materia he'd recently been given for his birthday. Now that he was of legal age to use magic in Mideel, he wore the bracer almost obsessively._

_He began to explain the rest of his plan to the girl, whose expression lit up in excitement over the prospect of making mischief. That made him smile, knowing he had found a kindred spirit for the night, even if it was some little ankle-biter._

_While the girl distracted the right people back at the catering tent, Genesis had managed to steal a fresh-looking uniform that had been lying around, probably in case somebody spilled food on theirs. No matter, Genesis tucked his hair underneath the hat, threw on the coat, and managed to walk right in without being detected as an interloper. The fact that there were nearly fifty people inside the large tents in catering alone meant he wouldn't stand out._

_He wandered into a smaller tent, occupied by only three workers. Genesis then smiled as his eyes came across a large unshaped hunk of ice, possibly brought just in case there was more room than anticipated. He knew that the artists often used Fire and Ice materia to shape the ice much more quickly than the old-fashioned hammer and chisel of long ago. He also knew such artists possessed great skills. However, no skill was needed for what he planned to shape the ice into…so long as they recognized it for what it was, it didn't need to be a thing of great beauty._

_He put his hand up his sleeve, touching the bracer, which had several materia, including the Fire and Ice he needed. In addition to that, he had a half-way mastered Manipulate materia, which was exactly what he would need in order to clear the area, long enough for him to make his…alterations._

_After the space was empty, he rolled back his sleeve and got to work instantly. How fitting that this would soon be done, and rolled out in front of everyone to see…after all…it was exactly what the people at the event were:_

_A bunch of dicks._

* * *

Genesis laughed at the memory, though he felt a twinge of embarrassment now. The truth was, his childish prank would have only reinforced the upper-class theory that teenagers were too immature and irresponsible to accomplish anything worthwhile in life. Had they ever discovered who had been responsible for it, his juice might have even been blacklisted by these people once it actually did gain popularity outside of Mideel.

"Here you go," the receptionist said as she handed him the cardkey, "Use that once you board the elevator, and it'll take you to the correct floor. You'll find a map once you get off that will show you where Director Lazard's office is."

"Thank you, Miss," Genesis said, turning up the charm with a smile.

The young woman blushed at the handsome young man. "N-no problem!" she answered, slightly flustered.

Genesis glanced at the door one last time. The mysterious woman was long gone. Shrugging, he began making his way toward the elevator.

* * *

Cissnei didn't get it…at all.

She walked back to her neighborhood, having parted ways with Freyra, done with the mission they had been on over in Kalm. Both of them had now earned three days of vacation for their troubles.

Her Turk training came in handy for many things, including walking home while completely lost in thought. While she reflected further on what she had seen, she managed to avoid tripping over anything, bumping into anyone, or going in the wrong direction; her feet had automatically taken over.

Having recognized Genesis Rhapsodos from her file(the one given to her before the mission to guard/track Dr. Hollander with Reno and Rude), she was shocked to see him walking freely about Midgar's Plate. In addition, she had seen several of her fellow Turks nearby, their eyes all trained on him, as if watching his every move.

What the hell had happened during this past week when she and Freya had been out of town on an assignment?!

Had he truly agreed to join the Shinra after everything that had been done to his family?

Freyra had been with her when Cissnei spotted the long-lost test subject of Project G and whispered his name before thinking. Freyra had said nothing, but the two Turks exchanged the same surprised looks. When Cissnei had looked at her friend once more, she noticed the brief but puzzling expression on her friend's face. As their eyes met again, Freya's visage resumed its typical expressionless "Turk-face". However, Cissnei realized that Freyra was having her own thoughts on the matter. Something told her, however, that asking what they were would get her nowhere, considering how quickly she hid them.

One other thing she had noticed was how he moved, as if he were feeling under the weather. Eyes down, shoulders hunched, hands in pockets.

_Best to keep your eyes forward and your nose clean…_the voice in the back of her head reminded her.

Right.

* * *

Freyra didn't realize until she and her furious parents had arrived home from the Gala that night, that she had never even asked the redheaded young man for his name. The next morning, she casually described him and asked who he was, but her parents hadn't the slightest idea. They had focused(along with all of the other guests) only on the indecent ice sculpture that the catering company had wheeled out with blank stares on their faces. Then, the pandemonium ensued, causing a premature end to the festivities while the Gala's planning committee investigated what had happened. As it turned out, the investigation would prove inconclusive.

The red-headed ringleader had planned the whole thing very well.

Freyra had simply nodded as her parents began complaining all over again, finished her breakfast, and went out hunting as she always did on weekend mornings. The event soon faded into the recesses of her memory, until today.

The red hair…the "flair" in his clothing and the rapier he carried…it had to be that same guy she had met ten years ago.

When he had walked inside the building, Cissnei then mouthed his name without meaning to. Freyra, skilled at reading lips, then put two and two together, equaling the biggest coincidence she had ever come across. The boy who disrupted the Mideel Gala so many years ago with what people in her family's social circle still referred to as the "Ice Sculpture Incident"…was none other than Genesis Rhapsodos…the son of accused traitors and terrorist allies…the young man wanted by the Shinra army and science department…and here he was. He was surrounded by Turks(though no civilian would have been aware, any other Turk would recognize the formation they were in), indicating that he wasn't simply sight-seeing on the Plate…not that anyone would assume that was his reason for being here in Midgar.

Upon having arrived at her living quarters, she quickly logged into the Shinra database, and found a brand-new, albeit classified file on Genesis, who was indeed the same young man that had passed them outside the Shinra building. The same young troublemaker she had met on that night years ago in Mideel.

Freyra's curiosity was clearly getting the better of her. Cissnei had always warned her to keep such a thing under control if she valued her life. While the Turks had their official credo ("We complete the mission, no matter what!"), their unofficial one was to not ask too many questions.

She glanced at the clock in her bedroom. It was morning, however, she had been up all night finishing her mission and getting back to Midgar. She was dead tired. However, she wondered how late these thoughts would keep her up all the same…

* * *

Genesis and Zack exchanged a hearty handshake before all three men settled into their chairs.

"Zack here is a new 1st Class, and has agreed to help you transition into SOLDIER life," said Lazard, "With your amazing performances on the field tests, I'm positive that won't take long at all." He then turned to Zack. "I hate to break it to you, Zack, but Genesis here may very well wind up being your commanding officer in a couple of years."

"Doesn't bother me," Zack answered cheerily, "SOLDIER can always use great leaders. If you wind up being my superior officer, Genesis, it just means you're _that_ awesome."

Genesis peered at the boy. Had he even seen any combat? He could hardly be called "battle-worn" like many ex-soldiers of the previous Shinra army. Was it the "special surgery" that he'd heard people talking about over the years? Or was this kid just some freak of nature to be as cheerful as he was? He had heard stories over the years of people in SOLDIER not being quite right in the head, but he hadn't figured they would be like this guy, who was now his new assigned "buddy".

Indeed…Genesis had a lot to learn about the enemy, and the vast amount of people that made up the Shinra. That would include how to sneak away from this guy once Aerith gave him the go-ahead to meet up. Something told Genesis that this guy wasn't as stupid as he appeared to be.

In the meantime, perhaps this guy Zack would be good for getting first-hand information.

Whoops, it looked as if Director Lazard was starting to talk about something important now...

"…a simple mission, and anything you can do to help, Genesis, is welcome, but all that is really required is for you to guard the construction site. I don't expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, but it's standard fare to have sentries posted when a mako reactor is being constructed."

Zack then turned to Genesis with a grin on his face. "This reminds me of when I was a little kid and they built the mako reactor in Gongaga. They had sent members of the army down there as well. Something happened during that time that made me decide I wanted to join the army. I'll tell you about it on the way to Corel."

Corel. So the stories were true…they _had_ agreed to allow a mako reactor to be built.

"You'll both be leaving tomorrow, along with a small regiment. Most of them are people Zack already knows."

While Zack eagerly asked to know who would would be in the troop, Genesis looked outside the large plate-glass window that looked out over the horizon. He would be leaving Midgar in just one day. He needed to start thinking of ways to lose the Shinra, and fast, as something told him that using his wing to fly off wasn't the best option to use quite yet. It would mean showing his hand, which he was nowhere near ready to do...

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but it's pretty much all that needed to be shown.

Yes, Freyra(AKA "Shotgun") grew up in Mideel according to her Before Crisis backstory. So there's actually a pretty good chance she could have run into Genesis, considering they both grew up in wealthy families, and might have been running with the same social circles. I suppose she might have seen Sephiroth and Angeal as well ages ago, but you know rich people and their social circles…

Though there's really no indication that "Shuriken" and "Shotgun" have any particularly close friendship in the compilation(the way Reno and Rude are close, or even the budding relationship between Tseng and Elena), I thought that their being paired together often could simply be another ripple effect of Sephiroth escaping the Shinra, and Angeal and Genesis never joining when they did.

Considering Freyra came from a wealthy family, and Cissnei was an orphan, it would make for some interesting dynamics. There's really not enough female characters in FF7…another reason I had to include Elfé…so Aerith could have a female friend there for her when her inevitable courtship dance with Sephiroth starts up. You know they're both going to step on each other's toes quite a bit, and since Aerith hasn't met Tifa yet(and I stress "yet"), well, a big sister type is probably exactly what she needs to get her through everything she'll be going through...

And so ends Part 2 of The Living Key. Part 3: The Maiden Who Travels The Planet, starts next; followed by Part 4: The Shit Hits The Fan Big-Time!(not the real title :P).


	21. Part 3: Prologue

Shout-outs:

Greatazuredragon: Not until the second story will we see Yuffie, I'm afraid. She's only eleven at this point, and unlike the children in the other Final Fantasies(Relm, Palom, Porom, Krile, Eiko), she doesn't have insane magical powers that make her an asset.

I am very much looking forward to writing future scenes with Zack and the other Shinra good guys.

Ardwynna Morrigu: I'm afraid Angeal would still see it as immature no matter how old Genesis is. Sephiroth would simply try to ignore it. Freyra didn't even get it at first, but I'll expand on that later. ^_^

JazzQueen: Genesis doesn't need to rope Zack into anything. You know the puppy is reckless enough to jump right in. ;)

* * *

Part 3: The Maiden Who Travels The Planet

Prologue: Corel

"Ugh…" Aerith frowned at her reflection in the small mirror she held, "I look so weird…"

Elfé and Angeal adjusted the baggy hats they each wore, while Sephiroth and Aerith finished toweling their freshly-dyed black hair. The party of four stood outside of Angeal's truck, stretching their legs at a small rest stop. Angeal had refueled his truck while Aerith and Sephiroth colored their hair inside the respective restrooms.

They had seen several Shinra helicopters passing overhead on their way to Corel. Elfé turned on the radio scanner that Terrato had sent her off with. Several members of SOLDIER were broadcasting back and forth, corresponding as they escorted "an important executive" to the small coal mining town.

"God, I'd hoped we'd have more time," Elfé growled, frustrated, "There's been rumors that Corel is their next target. I'm sure they'll be all nice and sweet, the complete opposite of the way things wound up in Wutai. Although…"

"…Corel has no real defense force aside from a small police squad," Angeal concluded, "If they resist…"

"We can't jump to conclusions yet," Elfé said as she shook her head, "Everyone in Avalanche has a point about Shinra trying to repair their public image…although…the general public seems to be accepting their excuse for Banora, which proves that they've learned nothing."

"Except how to cover their tracks better," Aerith interjected.

"It may sound cold…" Sephiroth stated, "But we can't make Corel our problem. We should definitely let Avalanche know, however. I'm sure they can look into things. At least, I hope they can do _that_, since they've no intentions of helping us out."

Aerith sighed, leaning against the truck.

"No reception…" Elfé groused as she looked at her phone.

Everyone looked at the ground, frustrated.

"Should we head out, then?" Aerith asked.

"Yeah," Angeal answered, "The sooner we get a signal, the better I'll feel about this…"

Elfé nodded in agreement, and the four piled back into the truck once again.

* * *

Scarlet angrily threw her phone across the small cabin, while her two bodyguards ducked. The pilot of the plane they were on, used to her outbursts, did not even flinch as he flew the aircraft over the Western Continent.

It had been three days since Hollander had snuck out of her room while she slept. During that time, she had tried twelve times to reach him, but to no avail. Were _all_ men the same?

The worst part was that she couldn't handle this rejection like she did all the other men who had bedded and then discarded her. The president would have her shot if she were to hire a Turk to assassinate Hollander.

_How dare he ignore me…the supreme woman? I'm strong, I'm smart, I'm gorgeous! Fine! Forget that pile of trash! Like I need him! After all, I'm also independent!_

The sound of her phone ringing made her jump. Frantically, she leaped out of her seat and darted across the cabin to grab it, fumbling as she opened it up. "Hello?"

"_Hello, gorgeous. Sorry- I was in a meeting, but I just got out. I hear you're on your way to Corel to negotiate with the townsfolk? Shinra seems to have their sights set on building a reactor there."_

"Y-yes!" Scarlet said, pleased. "We've been planning it for some time now. With the troops being pulled, and the non-aggression treaty being signed, we've got plenty of time now to make it happen."

_"__And you're the one who will charm the residents into accepting the Shinra's offer. I'm sure you'll do just fine. Have you arrived yet?"_

"Not just yet. I'm still on the plane. After I'm done in Corel, we'll be headed north to Dragoonshire, or 'Rocket Town' as they're calling it now. I heard the rocket's nearing completion, and we've already selected our pilot. That engineer, Cid Highwind is the board's final choice. He's crass, ugly, and swears like there's no tomorrow...but for whatever reason, the people in his hometown love him. Our favor will increase, and those people will be putty in our hands when it comes time to build a reactor over there as well."

_"__Nothing will stop Shinra, will it?"_

"You'd better believe that," Scarlet stated proudly.

_"__Then I'll let you go. I just thought I owed you a chat. I've been so busy with my new role, I haven't had time to sleep, much less talk to you. When will you be back?"_

"Not for a few more days, I'm afraid. Before I go, though…what are you wearing?"

Scarlet's bodyguards looked away, extremely uncomfortable.

_"__Sorry, I know what you're getting at, and I can't do that."_

"Why not?" Scarlet pouted. "Are you somewhere public? You shouldn't let such things bother you."

_"__Doesn't do the real thing justice. I need the real thing, sweetheart."_

"God, you're so old-fashioned," Scarlet laughed.

_"__That's what happens when you hook up with a crusty old man like me. Talk to you soon."_

He hung up.

Scarlet pocketed her phone, causing the bodyguards to relax slightly.

"How much longer until we touch down?" she asked the pilot.

"Twenty minutes, ma'am."

"Excellent," Scarlet purred. She took out a compact mirror and opened it up, smoothing her hair as she examined herself carefully.

* * *

"What's wrong, hon?"

Barrett Wallace sighed as he looked away from the small TV set in his kitchen. He then looked up at his wife.

"Nerves," he chuckled sadly, "This is a big decision we're about to make, and I know a lot of the townsfolk are worried. Thing is, I can understand them being nervous about somethin' like this. Change is scary, Myrna. But I think after we all get used to everything…mako power would be a great thing for this town. There'd be a lot less sick miners and workplace accidents…mostly 'cause there'd be a lot less miners to begin with."

It had been a month since two representatives from Shinra's Mako Team had arrived in Corel, handing out information about the benefits of mako energy to anyone interested. Finally, they had attracted the attention of the village headman, who called a town meeting to discuss the matter. The reps had been allowed to speak, and fielded questions from Corel's residents, who ranged from curious to borderline hostile.

Now, an important executive from Shinra was due to arrive very soon. The decision would be made very soon as to whether or not the region would adopt the use of mako energy. If the proposal were to be accepted, construction of a reactor would possibly start as soon as the following week. Barrett had already made up his mind in favor of letting the Shinra into Corel, but many other residents, including his best friend Dyne, and his wife Eleanor, were against what many residents referred to pejoratively as the "Shinra lifestyle".

"You can't blame people for being afraid of losing their livelihood," Myrna said as she sat down at the kitchen table next to her husband. "Even if coal mining is hazardous, it's still the only life that many of our neighbors have known…some of them for close to thirty…forty years."

"But we were promised by those guys that all of the miners could get trainin' in order to run the mako reactor once it's built," Barrett reminded her.

"And what do we know about those guys?" Myrna said, "Look- I'm just playing devil's advocate. I think Corel could use some progress. We've got two industries keeping this town afloat: coal mining, and entertainment, with the Gold Saucer being so close. There's no in between. The land isn't made for farming, and we're hundreds of miles away from the sea, which rules out fishing. Maybe if we adopt mako power, we can open ourselves up to an industrial revolution, just like Midgar. Things are advancing so quickly thanks to mako energy. We've had more technological jumps in the past forty years than we have over the past two-thousand years."

Barrett smiled as he took Myrna's hand. "Sometimes, I just really love hearin' you talk," he said happily. "You are, without a doubt, the smartest woman I ever met."

"And you're the most down-to-earth guy I've ever known…when that famous temper of yours isn't getting in the way," Myrna teased.

"Well, you always manage to calm me down," Barrett said as he leaned in for a kiss. He then glanced at the clock. "Shit! I gotta go. The town meeting'll be startin' in a few minutes, and the new Shinra representative is probably already there."

He immediately stood up, grabbed his keys and left the house, getting into the van parked in the driveway.

* * *

"Thank you all for coming," Scarlet said as she and several members of Corel's town board sat inside the mayor's living room. Behind her stood her two bodyguards, sweating through their heavy gray suits as the temperatures outside crept up to record summer highs.

The village headman, a slender old man with receding grey hair and a full beard, glanced over at a dark-haired young man sitting on the couch next to Barrett. The man wore a surly expression as he sat with his arms crossed, refusing to look at anybody.

"I'm afraid we have one small problem," the old man announced, "Our policy when making decisions is that the vote must be unanimous in order for something to proceed. However, Dyne here is our only holdout."

The young man shook his head, looking frustrated. "I'm definitely against it, no matter what! There's nothing to even talk about if you're thinking of throwing away our coal! Our coal, which has been protected for generations, which our fathers, and their fathers before them, have risked their lives over!"

"That's exactly the point, Dyne," Barrett reasoned, "Coal mining has cost tons of people their lives and their health. I see the look in my wife's eyes every day when I leave for work. She knows anythin' could happen. I see the same look in your wife's eyes as well, and in her condition, that probably ain't good for her."

"Don't talk to me about my wife," Dyne said angrily, "I know damn well she worries."

"Then how about the fact that less and less people are using coal now?" Barrett pointed out, "It's only our town that uses it these days. The days of exportin' coal are gone now! It's a sign of the times."

"Exactly!" Scarlet piped in, "Everything is mako now."

Dyne shook his head again.

"Dyne, was it?" Scarlet said, walking over to him, "Let me assure you that you have nothing to worry about. Shinra Inc. will _guarantee _your livelihood once the mako reactor is completed."

"Dyne, you've got to understand…" the village headman said gently, trailing off.

Dyne looked up at everyone in the room. He could see it: the decision had already been made. If he were to continue to hold out, he would become a pariah, and so would his wife…and eventual family. What was the point? He had already lost this battle.

"I withdraw my vote against the reactor," he whispered, defeated, "I'll vote in favor."

At that, he stood up and walked out of the room.

"Dyne, wait!" Barrett followed him outside.

"Splendid!" Scarlet exclaimed, clapping her hands delightedly, "Mr. headman, shall we start signing the paperwork…?"

* * *

"Is this all I can expect to do?" Genesis asked as he and Zack stood guard outside the door to the village headman's house.

Kunsel and Luxiere had split up, leading their own team of troopers to walk around, ensuring that nothing suspicious happened while Scarlet was in town. Tensions were still high after the ceasefire in Wutai, and the threat of uprising followed the Shinra wherever they went. Avalanche activity also seemed to be the most prominent on the Western Continent.

"Patience, buddy," Zack said as he flashed a grin, "We've all gotta put up with the boring stuff way before we do anything exciting. Even after you've been in SOLDIER for some time, the ratio of boring to exciting…it's not the greatest. I've been told by the other 1st Class guys that it's only about 25% exciting. But that's still better than 2nd Class, which is about 10%."

"My father..." Genesis managed not to cringe as he thought about his parents' last moments, hoping they had been unaware to the end. "...He used to say that according to his ex-army friends, the name of the game for the military was 'Hurry Up And Wait'."

Zack nodded. "It still is."

"This is the middle of nowhere," Genesis remarked as he glanced around the dusty old town square. "Is this the new strategy? If we can't subjugate them, do pet projects instead?"

Zack said nothing, only wishing to himself that they had thought about doing that in the first place, and left Wutai alone.

"Were you ever in Wutai?" Genesis asked.

Zack's expression hardened. "Yeah," he said, "I wish I hadn't been."

"You survived," Genesis stated the obvious.

"And a lot of my friends didn't," Zack said with a grimace.

"I'm sorry," Genesis said.

Wutai had indeed been a pointless war as far as Zack was concerned. But this was the last place for him to state his honest opinion on Shinra's policies, which were questionable at best.

"Where are you from?" Genesis asked.

"Gongaga," Zack replied.

"Ah, I've been there before," Genesis recalled, "I went there last year with one of my business partners."

"What's your business?" Zack asked.

"Juice."

Zack stared curiously at Genesis. "Seriously?"

"What, you think I'm only good for fighting?" Genesis laughed lightly. "Or did you think I made armor or something? I make and sell juice made from Banora White apples. Ever try one?"

"Once, when I went to Mideel to help stop a potential uprising," Zack told him, "That was about four years ago, when I was still a 3rd Class."

"Ah, so you've never had one picked right off of the tree," said Genesis, "That's the best kind."

"Was the business not working out?" Zack asked.

Genesis looked at the younger man, somewhat offended. "What makes you think that?"

"Well, why abandon your business if it _is_ going well?" Zack asked.

Genesis looked grim. "Other things suddenly took priority. Being here…let's just say it's in my best interests for now."

"For now?" Zack looked confused, "SOLDIER isn't some kind of vacation. It's a serious commitment."

Genesis suddenly burst out laughing. Zack looked angry, but the redhead held up a hand. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be rude at all. You just…you reminded me of a younger scrappier version of an old friend of mine."

_Hell_, Genesis thought, _if he were to slick back his hair, he would even look a bit like Angeal…_

* * *

"Finally…" Angeal breathed a sigh of relief as his truck pulled through the main gates of Corel.

"No SOLDIER at the gates," Elfé noted, "Well, at least we didn't have to worry about _that_."

"Let's just refuel, get some more food, and be on our way," said Sephiroth.

Aerith looked disappointed, but didn't say anything. She had been hoping they would be able to lay low enough to spend the night at an inn, where she could take a nice shower and sleep in a real bed, rather than the tent she shared with Elfé, who tossed and turned in her sleep, whacking Aerith awake a couple times already in the few days that they had been gone. The demi-Cetra had, of course, been too polite to say anything.

Maybe she could buy her own tent while they were here.

"Well, we've got one more thing to take care of while we're here besides the things you mentioned," Elfé said, glancing back at Sephiroth and Aerith. She then took a good look at the two of them while a smirk slowly spread across her face.

"What's so funny?" Aerith asked, noticing the older girl's expression.

"Oh, nothing really," Elfé said, shaking her head, "You just look like brother and sister when you've got the same hair color. That's all."

Aerith frowned, not sure why she disliked hearing that.

Sephiroth merely grunted in response.

"Okay, so we've got to decide what we're going to call ourselves while we're here," said Elfé, "If Shinra personnel are here, then we really can't be too careful. We're going to need aliases. Right now, we're going to the house of a woman I know whose specialty is fake ID's."

"New names?" Angeal remarked, not taking his eyes off the road. "I guess you can call me…Andrew Hughes. It sounds close enough to my real name that I've got a chance of responding if someone actually calls me by it."

"Then I'll go with the same strategy and call myself 'Seth Crenshaw'," Sephiroth announced.

"You've got no imagination," Aerith scoffed, "I'll be…Terra Branford."

Elfé nodded, writing down all three names on a notepad.

"What about you?" Sephiroth asked, "I imagine you've already got a fake ID."

Elfé laughed. "I've worn out all of my aliases at one point or another. I'm going to have to come up with a new one as well…let's see…" She furrowed her brow, thinking hard. Then, her eyes lit up. "Felicia."

"Last name?" Sephiroth asked.

"Hmm…Verde?"

"Felicia Verde," Angeal recited, "Interesting."

"Yeah, for some reason, 'Felicia' just popped into my head," Elfé chuckled, "Alright, make a left here."

Angeal obeyed, steering the vehicle off the main road into a residential neighborhood.

* * *

Genesis smirked as he circled around Zack, who had dropped his sword and fallen to his knees, panting heavily.

"Well, now I finally get to see...what Director Lazard was talking about...when he said you were the greatest SOLDIER candidate...he'd ever seen," Zack managed to say.

Nearby, Kunsel and Luxiere stood speechless, having watched the intense sparring match between Zack and Genesis. All four of them had been relieved of their duties while another small troop patrolled the streets.

Scarlet had emerged from the village headman's house looking extremely pleased, and had announced to Zack and Genesis that construction of the reactor would start next week. This of course, meant that the troops would remain in Corel to keep an eye on things while the reactor was being built. That had pleased Zack, whose letters to his parents would reach home much faster, now that he was once again on the same continent as his family.

"Anyone else feel like sparring?" Genesis asked.

Nobody else moved.

"I'll admit, you put up a pretty decent fight," Genesis told Zack as he sheathed his rapier, "You might stand a chance against me eventually, but I get the feeling you just haven't been properly challenged up to this point."

"Well, then I guess I'll just have to keep trying," Zack said as he grabbed his sword and stood up, having finally caught his breath. He sheathed his weapon, which hit the large magnet strapped to his back with a loud _clang_.

"I'll admit, your attitude is starting to grow on me," Genesis chuckled, "At least I won't get so bored when it comes to sparring and drills."

"Funny you should mention drills," Zack said as he raised his finger, "Guess what we'll be doing for the next hour?"

Genesis let out a sigh, but still managed to smile.

"Hey, if you weren't sick, it would be two hours of drills," Zack warned him good-naturedly.

Genesis held up his hands, indicating that he wasn't going to complain.

The truth was, his condition hadn't been too bad lately, and knowing that both Aerith and Hollander were searching for cures gave him the inner-strength to push through any discomfort he was feeling. He also had the feeling that the limited treatment Ifalna had given him was holding him together for the time being.

"Come on, then," Zack said as he began walking over to a nearby vacant lot. "We'll use that spot over there. All of you- up and at 'em!"

Kunsel and Luxiere got up and followed him.

* * *

"Damnit, not again!" Angeal growled as the truck's engine refused to start.

The party had emerged from the house of their contact: a young woman who studied at Costa Del Sol's Ragnarok University. She had come home for the summer, and paid her tuition by making fake I.D.'s. While many of her customers were from Avalanche, most of them were underage students trying to get into Costa Del Sol's many bars and clubs. That last bit of information had displeased Angeal, but Elfé had quickly pointed out to him:

"Avalanche is about 70%...morally inclined, you could say. This is just part of that 30% grey area. In the end, it all depends on what _you_ do."

That had been enough to satisfy Angeal, up until now.

"I'm starting to think you should just junk this thing once we get to Rocket Town," said Sephiroth.

"I'm inclined to agree with you," Angeal sighed as he yanked the key out of the ignition and exited the vehicle.

Elfé opened the door and stepped out as well. "I'll go ask our friend if she can phone a mechanic," she offered, walking back to the house.

Sephiroth and Aerith also climbed out of the truck bed.

"I'm really sorry about all this," Angeal said dejectedly, "Maybe this truck just can't handle all the dry air it's been exposed to. It always worked fine back home."

"Genesis left us with enough money to get ourselves a brand-new vehicle," Sephiroth pointed out, "If the repairs aren't worth it, maybe we can get ourselves a van."

"This isn't an industrial town," said Angeal, "The nearest place that sells automobiles is near Costa Del Sol. We'd also have to go out of our way to get there."

"Maybe someone has a used vehicle for sale over here," Aerith suggested.

"That could be a different kind of gamble altogether," Sephiroth told her, "If this were a place where we knew the residents well, then we would know what kind of people are offering to sell. We can't risk buying a lemon and then being out for that kind of money."

"Seph's right," Angeal agreed, "Best to at least find out what's wrong with the truck first."

Elfé stepped out of the house. "The tow-truck is on its way," she said, "They'll bring it to the auto shop for a fee."

"Always a fee," Angeal muttered.

"There's a diner near the shop," Elfé went on, "We can hitch a ride on the tow truck and get something to eat while we wait for them to diagnose the problem. We won't have to wait long, as they said they'll be here in five minutes…"

* * *

"Don't look so sad," Myrna said as she and Barrett sat at home in their kitchen eating their dinner.

"Can't help it," Barrett chuckled ruefully, "I feel like I stabbed my best friend in the back. You shoulda heard him at the town meeting…how fired up he was about protecting the coal industry. But in the end, I don't think he could argue with everyone else."

"It must have been hard for him," his wife remarked, "to have to concede like he did. He's a proud man…not unlike someone I know…"

"It's why we normally got along so well," Barrett agreed, "We understand one another."

"And you'll get along again," Myrna reassured him, "It would take something unthinkable to get in the way of your friendship. Now…" She regarded him with mock-sternness. "…cheer up, and finish your dinner or no ice cream for you tonight!"

Barrett laughed. "Yes, ma'am…" he said.

* * *

Angeal walked out of the auto repair shop to where the others were waiting.

"Well, that doesn't look like they had good news," Sephiroth said, noting the displeased expression on his friend's face.

"What's the story?" Aerith asked.

"The mechanic said it'll be at least a week before the new part comes in," said Angeal, "So basically, we're stuck here until the truck is fixed. I really don't know what else to do."

Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "Lovely."

"There was never any time constraints to my mission," Aerith reminded everyone.

"Yeah, but we really shouldn't stay here given that the Shinra are also around," Elfé said, "There's only one place around here where we can pretty much avoid them."

Angeal and Sephiroth glanced at each other, not quite comprehending, while a look of understanding appeared on Aerith's face.

"You guys!" Aerith laughed at the men's blank expressions. "Don't you get it? We're going to the Gold Saucer!"

"Isn't the entrance fee practically highway robbery?" Sephiroth asked.

"Don't worry about that," Elfé reassured him, "I've got a lifetime pass that allows me to bring guests. If we have to be on standby, there's no reason we can't have a little fun while we wait. So let's head over to the ropeway station before it closes. It'll take us about half an hour to get there by foot."

Angeal nodded, while Sephiroth heaved a sigh.

"I hate crowds…" he muttered.

"Oh, stop fretting and be glad we don't have to rot down here for a week!" Aerith chided him, "They have a battle square, which might be a good way for you to make some money. Though, I'd probably refrain from using Masamune in public."

Sephiroth finally cracked a small smile. "So are you my booking agent, then?" he joked.

"Absolutely!" Aerith kidded, smiling back.

"What about you?" Elfé asked Angeal, "You'd probably stand a chance of winning some prize money if you entered as well."

"I'd rather not draw too much attention to myself," Angeal answered, "Nobody's looking for Sephiroth as far as we know, especially a black-haired Sephiroth."

"That's 'Seth Crenshaw' to you," Sephiroth corrected him as he pulled out his fake I.D.

"Hey- we're wasting time!" Aerith pointed out, "Let's get going."

She began walking.

"The station is over there." Elfé pointed in the opposite direction.

"I knew that," Aerith covered as she turned around and resumed walking.

* * *

A/N: Don't expect any romantic interludes at the Gold Saucer, despite what it meant in the original game. It's just too soon…love needs to ripen first. ;)


	22. Chapter 1: Collateral Damage

Shout-outs:

Faunalind: We'll start to see Zack and Genesis in action right now.

Guest: Everything happens for a reason, especially in fiction.

Badnephilim: You'll get your answer this chapter. And considering how much material crosses over between all the Final Fantasies(right now, I'm actually playing FF13…maybe I should have had her name herself 'Claire Farron' since Lightning can dress up like Aerith in the sequels), I couldn't resist, lol.

JazzQueen: Siblings, lovers…the creators seemed to be considering every angle before giving up and making them complete strangers. I guess killing your sister or one-sided crush would have been pushing things too far?

Ardwynna Morrigu: Just because there's no date doesn't mean there's no character development that'll push the two closer together. ;) It's just subtle, as you'll soon see.

* * *

Chapter 1: Collateral Damage

"I'll be honest," said Elfé, "When you wanted to do a 'girls' night out', I was a little wary. You get these ideas in your head…sometimes they're good, and sometimes they're not so good. This, however, is one of the good ideas."

She and Aerith were standing at a gaming console in the arcade on their second day at the Gold Saucer, playing a side-scroller. Aerith's eyes were narrowed in concentration as she guided her character, a fat bearded construction worker, jumping over a baddie…right off the edge of a cliff.

"Wow, you're so _bad_ at this!" Elfé laughed.

"And that's all my lives if I want to try my hand at ski-ball," Aerith sighed as she stepped back and pulled out the few tokens she had left.

"Well, I've still got four lives left," Elfé announced, "I'll come find you when I'm done."

"You're pretty good," Aerith remarked, "Do you usually go to arcades during your missions? I don't recall you having any games at your place. Master Terrato is just as against TV as my own folks are."

Elfé's good humor faded slightly. "Someone taught me how to play when I was in Midgar a couple of years ago. Not all games…just old-school stuff like this."

"Well, if our journey takes us there, you think your friend could show me what to do?" Aerith giggled, "Because I'm hopeless."

Elfé's expression turned somber. "That won't be possible," she answered flatly.

Sensing the abrupt change in her friend's mood, Aerith decided to change the subject. "Do you want to go to the battle square and find out how Seph's doing once we're done here?"

"Actually, I'm thinking we could grab something at the bar and grill," Elfé suggested. She then smiled mischievously. "You know that the drinking age over here is eighteen, right?"

"Well…that's nice," Aerith said, "Maybe I'll come back next year and try a rum and cola."

"Why don't you try a rum and cola _tonight_, 'Terra Branford'?" Elfé chuckled, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Didn't you notice your new I.D. says you were born a year earlier?"

Aerith dug through the messenger bag she carried until she found her wallet. Opening it up, she examined her fake I.D. "Hey, you're right!" She shook her head, smiling sheepishly. "I hated the picture that your friend took, so I didn't really take a good look at it."

"Nobody ever likes their I.D. photos," Elfé commented as she managed to get the fat bearded man's tall skinny brother to slide down a flagpole, signifying his victory. "Fake ones are no different, I imagine. Me, I never really cared one way or another about getting my picture taken.

"Anyway, I thought it might make things easier for you in general if you were 'of age', so to speak," Elfé explained, "We have a whole week to kill. If there's one thing that having a piece of materia draining my life away taught me, it's that one really should explore and appreciate all that life has to offer."

"And here my mom always thought you were such a good influence on me," Aerith chided her friend playfully.

"I doubt you having _one_ drink makes me a bad influence," said Elfé defensively.

"If you say so," Aerith teased as she backed away and began to head for the ski-ball machines, hoping she would have better luck there.

* * *

Angeal looked around as he walked through the event square. Sephiroth was finally fighting his way through the battle square, and doing quite well, as expected. However, for Angeal, simply watching Sephiroth fight was rather boring. The fun lay in actually sparring with his old friend.

Thus, he had been compelled to see a show instead. After sitting through a silly improvisation sketch starring the 100th couple to walk into the theatre(two hapless teenagers that had been together on a date), he watched the play about the four "Warriors of Light", who had banded together to save the world from the four "Evil Fiends". It had been a very entertaining show, though he would have liked to have had someone join him. At least then, he could have had someone to discuss the play with afterwards. He would have asked the girls if they wanted to come, but his old cell phone had no reception inside the giant amusement center, and had been unable to locate them before the show would have started.

This was one of the times where he found himself missing Genesis. His oldest friend would have jumped at the chance to see a play, especially one that was put on by professionals, and not a local school performance at the Banora Harvest Festival.

Just as he arrived back at the wonder square(which was outdoors), he felt his phone vibrating. He quickly took it out, wondering if Elfé had tried calling, or if she had succeeded in finding a phone for Aerith, as their youngest companion still needed one. He opened it up and dialed the voicemail.

_"__Again? How many times do I have to tell you to get a new phone? I know you always blame the service provider, but having a phone that was made in the 90's isn't doing you any favors. I gave you plenty of money, didn't I? Anyway, here's the number you can reach me at…"_

Angeal sighed as he listened to the new number, memorizing it instantly. He then began to dial.

* * *

"I can't talk too long," Genesis said as he walked through the streets of Corel, "You're lucky you reached me during the last few minutes of my break. Did you start your voyage yet?"

_"__We did,"_ Angeal answered, _"We're at the Gold Saucer."_

Genesis stopped dead in his tracks, looking up at the amusement center, which could be seen from anywhere in Corel.

"Is that so?" he asked, waving jokingly at the Gold Saucer.

_"__My truck had some more issues, so we're stuck waiting for a new part to arrive. I'm hoping we can at least make it to Rocket Town before I might have to sell it. That truck just doesn't function properly for long distances, especially not in this dry weather."_

"What happens when you get to Rocket Town?"

_"__We apparently bribe a pilot into flying us to the Northern Continent,"_ Angeal answered.

"Pilot?" Genesis scowled. "You mean Cid Highwind?"

_"__How did you know?"_ Angeal sounded genuinely surprised.

"Well…he's been picked to go out into space by the Shinra. Are you sure that guy's really loyal? Seems like he's really excited about going into space from what I hear the woman in charge of weapons is saying. Plus, I was at a dinner for executives the other day, and that's all they were talking about. Sounds like this guy is loyal to the highest bidder. If you want him to choose you over going up into space, you'd better offer him the moon and the stars…oh…wait…the Shinra are already doing that."

Genesis chuckled at his own wit.

_"__That's not funny,"_ Angeal snapped, _"If he won't take us to the Northern Continent, that could mean another few weeks until we get to the old city. That's another few more weeks of you getting worse."_

"Then you need to figure out how to sweet-talk that guy into helping you," Genesis re-iterated, "I've gotta go. I'll be destroying this phone, but if you do get a new phone, make sure you keep the old number."

_"__Wait! I'll give you Elfé's number as well…"_

* * *

"I don't know if this is an Ancient thing or what…" Elfé grunted as she dragged a nearly blacked-out Aerith back to the room they shared at the inn. "But you're way too friendly with strangers sometimes. People won't shrivel up and die because you said no when they asked you to come drink with them."

Aerith hiccupped, and then moaned, clutching her head in pain.

"Wow, you are _trashed_," Elfé sighed as they arrived at the door to their room. She gently placed Aerith on the floor, leaning her against the wall while she dug in her pocket for the key. Locating it, she unlocked the door and opened it, just in time to grab Aerith as she began to tip over. Elfé hoisted the girl's arm around her shoulder, dragging her over to one of the two twin beds and laying her down on top of it.

Aerith mumbled something.

"I know you like to go make friends with new people, kid," Elfé said to her as she sat down on her own bed, "And I'll admit, it was fun to grab a couple drinks with those two girls from Mideel University, at least until they started singing TV theme songs from twenty years ago. But…and I've been meaning to tell you this for a while now: you really need to drop that stubborn streak of yours where you stop listening to people. Because you really should have listened to me when I said no more than two drinks. Yes, being stubborn made you a good student at ANSMA, but when you've never drank before, that's a very bad thing- HOLY SHIT!"

Elfé realized that Aerith was still wearing her materia bracelet, which housed a Fire materia among several restorative and supportive materia. Smoke was beginning to billow from the drunk girl's palms, which were touching the bed. Quickly, she ran over to Aerith and removed the bracelet, impulsively chucking it across the room.

"I've never heard of people casting unconsciously while drunk," Elfé said, shaking her head. "If Sephiroth finds out…" She sighed and shook her head again. "No…_when_ he finds out what happened, I'm the one who he'll blame first, given how much he acts like a protective older brother."

Aerith began to whimper.

"Well, it _is_ kinda my fault for not stopping you," Elfé reasoned, "But I know how stubborn you are, and I could see that look in your eyes that says you've made up your mind. Plus…it was so funny seeing you make that horrible face when you downed that shot of rum. I didn't realize you were going to take three more while I was using the bathroom, though!"

"Not my brother…!" Aerith mumbled into her pillow.

"Huh?" Elfé went over to the other girl's bed.

"He's not my brother!" Aerith mumbled again.

Elfé frowned. "Are you crying?"

"No!"

Elfé immediately rolled Aerith over, causing the younger girl to groan painfully as she covered her face with her hands.

"You _are_ crying," Elfé stated. She knew from all the years of knowing Aerith that the girl always tried to hide her pain, and would always deny that anything was wrong, even if it was perfectly clear that something WAS wrong. Hell, the girl could be stabbed through the gut, and would still probably die with a smile on her face.

"No I'm not!" Aerith denied weakly.

"Don't worry about it…" Elfé chuckled, "It just means you're a weepy drunk. Of course, that means I'm never going to drink with you ever again…nothing personal. I'm not really cut out to be people's emotional garbage chutes."

"So confused…!" Aerith sniffled.

"But you're going to dump your baggage on me anyway…" Elfé laughed sadly. "Fine…just this once…and only because I like you."

"I kissed him and he didn't say anything after…!" Aerith rolled back over and mashed her face into her pillow.

Elfé frowned. "What was that? You need to stop talking into your pillow."

Aerith didn't respond. Eventually, Elfé could hear her start to snore.

"Ah, Aerith…" Elfé sighed, moving Aerith's head so her pillow wouldn't suffocate her. "I turned my back on you for two minutes and you wind up sneaking extra drinks and getting plastered. And you wonder why you had a vision of your own death? You're too impulsive, kid. Hopefully this journey helps you learn how to stop doing that. I'd really like to bring you back home in one piece. You're the one with a family that loves you. Me, on the other hand…I'm the expendable one. Sometimes I feel like I've been groomed to die the inevitable martyr's death. Hell, if it weren't for your mother…that very well might have happened by now."

She raised her hand, looking at the very faint white scar that followed one of her palm lines. One could barely notice it unless they looked very carefully.

"I guess I'll get some sleep too," Elfé said. She took one more look at Aerith, who was lying on her stomach, her head close to the edge of the bed. For extra measure, the swordswoman grabbed the waste basket, placing it as close to Aerith as possible. "Sweet dreams, little lightweight."

At least if the kid vomited now, she wouldn't make a mess…or choke. Now she knew why there was a small weighted trash bin near every bed.

Grimacing, Elfé began rummaging through her bag for her sleepwear.

* * *

Sephiroth trudged up the stairs of the Haunted Hotel, feeling tired, yet utterly satisfied. His bloodlust had been sated for the first time in days. One of the good things about traveling on the road was his opportunities to kill monsters. While harvesting various horns, claws, bones, feathers or meat was always lucrative, it was the killing itself that satisfied that primal urge inside of him…an urge that he blamed Hojo for putting in his brain in the first place.

At least he didn't need to kill people to satisfy his urges, not to mention that killing monsters even helped people by keeping them safe. Although this time, he really had managed to clean up. He hoped Angeal was still awake so that he could tell his friend the good news.

Finally, he reached the room that he and Angeal shared. Swiping his keycard, the door instantly opened, and he stepped inside.

Angeal was already in bed, but immediately turned over and looked up at Sephiroth.

"About time," Angeal kidded his friend, "You sure were out late."

"I don't think anyone has ever won the entire battle tournament," Sephiroth stated as he sat down on his bed, "You fight monster after monster until you collapse from exhaustion, I think. But I pushed through, and I won the grand prize."

Angeal sat up, curious. "Which was…?"

"A state-of-the-art buggy," Sephiroth answered proudly, "It only goes about 50 miles per hour, but it can travel over rivers and across sand, so we don't have to rely on roads. If anything, that could get us to Rocket Town much faster than your truck ever could. Plus, we can leave tomorrow. All we'll have to do is make arrangements to sell the truck, or have it sent back to Cosmo Canyon for the time being."

Angeal nodded, suddenly feeling a bit sad. He had owned that truck since the age of sixteen, and had a lot of memories. Still, completing their mission and saving Genesis took priority over old sentiments. Sephiroth's prize may prove to be extremely useful.

"Speaking of Rocket Town," Angeal said, "Genesis contacted me again. He says that the pilot we're planning to see is the same man that the Shinra have picked to send into space. He's apparently co-operating fully with them. If that's the case, he might not be too eager to fly us up north."

"How did he find that out?" Sephiroth asked.

"Apparently, he's wining and dining with the Shinra elite now," Angeal muttered, wondering how much deeper Genesis was getting himself into with his brilliant "plan".

"Ugh…" Sephiroth groaned, lifting his hand up to his forehead, "That certainly does throw a wrench into our plans. Should we take the buggy to Lindblum Harbor instead?"

Lindblum Harbor was another independent port just north of Rocket Town.

"We should talk this over with Elfé in the morning," Angeal suggested, "She's the one who knows this guy personally. She'll be able to tell us if he's still worth talking to, or bypass him altogether. Also, Genesis told me one last thing before he hung up: they plan to launch the rocket at the end of the month. That gives us plenty of time to catch up with him."

"So we at least have a chance," Sephiroth reasoned.

"If he says no, we'll have to go to the harbor," Angeal said worriedly, "And ships come and go less frequently in smaller ports. We don't know just when a ship will travel to the Northern Continent."

Sephiroth nodded as he began taking off his boots. "Well," he said as he stood up and shed his coat, draping it over a nearby chair, "There's no sense worrying about it right now. Let's get some sleep, and talk about it with the others in the morning."

Angeal nodded as he slid back under the covers and rolled over.

Sephiroth got into bed as well, and it didn't take long before sleep found him.

* * *

"So where did you run off to during your break?" Zack asked as he, Genesis, and a small regiment guarded the inn where Scarlet and her bodyguards slept that night.

"Just talking to some of the miners," Genesis lied smoothly, "It's rather fascinating how hung up this town has been on tradition. I imagine taking such a giant step as switching to mako power would be quite scary."

"Yeah," Zack agreed, "I remember hearing the grown-ups always arguing about it when they built the reactor in my hometown. But then, I also remember when we bought our first TV set just a few months after the reactor was complete. Then I started watching all those war movies, and TV dramas about people in SOLDIER. That was just more fuel to the fire as far as me joining SOLDIER went."

"I imagine real life wasn't quite as exciting as TV made it out to be," Genesis stated with some amusement.

"Well, you seem to be finding that out rather quickly yourself," Zack laughed, "This whole mission will probably be really uneventful. But, maybe if the higher-ups are happy enough, they'll give us a couple days off."

"Meaning a trip to the Gold Saucer?" Luxiere said hopefully.

"You know it," Zack said, grinning.

Genesis managed to keep his face even. What would happen if he were to run into Sephiroth now…?

* * *

"That was incredibly foolish of you," Sephiroth scolded Aerith the next morning.

The four of them sat in the girls' room in the Haunted Hotel. Sephiroth had informed them of the good news from last night, while Elfé had just told them the not-so-good news regarding Aerith.

Aerith said nothing, only hanging her head in shame.

"Hey, go easy on her," Elfé argued, "A lot of people misjudge their tolerance the first time they drink. Aerith isn't the first to do so, and how were we to know that we'd be able to leave today?"

"Need I remind you what happened the first time _you_ went to the bar with Genesis and myself?" Angeal added.

Sephiroth immediately fell silent, causing Elfé to wonder what _his_ first-time story was.

Aerith, too hung over to care, simply clutched her head.

"Just lie down while we drive, kid," Elfé comforted her, "You'll be back to normal tomorrow."

"Never drinking ever again…" Aerith mumbled, rubbing at her pounding temples.

Sephiroth sighed and stood up. "We can leave around five," he said, "That'll give Aerith seven more hours to rest up and hopefully feel a little better."

"I already cast 'Esuna' on her," Elfé added, "Hopefully that helps."

Sephiroth nodded, glancing back at Aerith, who couldn't even bring herself to look at him. No doubt she was completely ashamed. Suddenly, he felt a twinge of pity for her. Of course. No matter what shenanigans that girl pulled, he could never stay annoyed with her.

"We all make mistakes," he said gently, "What's important is that you learn from them. I'm guessing you've learned from this."

"Yes…" Aerith whimpered, unable to even nod for fear of aggravating her headache.

"Get some rest," Sephiroth said, trying not to chuckle at how pathetic she sounded. "In the end, there's no harm done."

He and Angeal headed for the door.

* * *

"You know, I just never tire of good old-fashioned diner food," Zack said as he, Genesis, Kunsel and Luxiere emerged from a small railcar known as "Sunny's Diner".

"Especially not the chili-dogs," Kunsel teased him.

"Yeah, keep me away from the blast radius!" Luxiere added, moving in front of Zack.

"You didn't eat much," Zack commented to Genesis as he ignored his friends' impertinent comments.

"Heavy food isn't very kind to my stomach these days," said Genesis, patting his abdomen, "I learned that the hard way the morning after that executive dinner I told you about."

"Yeah, being Shinra's honored guest is so tough," Zack teased, "Blah…back to guard duty, I suppose."

They were approaching the inn, where Scarlet stood on the deck, looking around distastefully. Nearby were the other members of the Shinra army troop.

"…Maybe they'll be able to do something about how dusty this place is," she was saying to one of her bodyguards, "They should just pave the whole place over!"

Suddenly, a gunshot was heard, just as Scarlet felt something whiz past her cheek. She lifted her hand to her face, looking slightly dazed. Then another shot was heard, and a bullet hole appeared in the side of the building, causing her to scream in terror and get down on the ground.

"Someone's shooting at her!" Zack shouted, "Look out for anyone with a gun, you guys!"

He and the other members of the army dropped low as they all armed themselves with their respective weapons and began glancing around in the direction of where the bullet had come from.

"There he goes!" a trooper exclaimed as he began to shoot at what looked to be a man holding a rifle.

The man took off running.

"You three, stay here!" Zack ordered the two troopers standing closest to Scarlet, "Everyone else, after him!"

Scarlet whirled around to face her bodyguards.

"How could you not see that coming?!" she screamed. She then took out her phone and began to dial. "It's Scarlet! Some bastard took a shot at me! Call in all the troops stationed in the desert and bring them here! I'll bet anything it's Avalanche! No one would ever have the balls to try and take me out otherwise! …What do you mean 'take care of it myself'?! G'ah!" She hung up in frustration and howled at the sky: "Heidegger, you _bastard!_"

* * *

"So you mentioned something about this mission being really uneventful?" Genesis kidded as he and Zack ran through the streets, trying to catch up with Scarlet's would-be assassin, while Kunsel and Luxiere led their respective troopers through the others streets, hoping to close in on the perpetrator.

"Did I?" Zack joked, "Nah- must've been some other incredibly bad-ass SOLDIER…!"

"Anyone ever tell you that you're cocky?" Genesis huffed as they kept running.

"Maybe…" Zack said innocently.

"Well, we've got something in common, then." Genesis laughed.

He then stopped, seeing a rifle laying in the dirt before him. Zack also came to a stop.

"There we go," said Genesis, "That's probably the weapon."

"Yup," Zack said as he took the weapon in his gloved hands, "We'll bring this back and have it scanned for fingerprints. I hate to say it, but they'll probably put the entire town on lockdown until they find-,"

The two then jumped at the sound of a loud explosion.

"Oh god, they're not done!" Zack realized, "Let's go!"

He and Genesis took of running in the direction of the explosion.

* * *

"Don't just stand there!" Scarlet screamed at one of the troopers as she shoved a handful of grenades into his arms. "Go take out the other buildings!"

The wind began picking up as he took off, muttering "Yes, ma'am!". The warehouse that she had lobbed a grenade at herself had immediately caught fire, and the coal stored inside ensured that the fire would continue to burn. However, the warehouse stood next to another warehouse, and the wind blew the flames, causing that next building to catch fire as well.

The townspeople, alarmed, began rushing out of their homes with buckets of water, trying in vain to douse the inferno.

"Somebody get the hose ready!" someone shouted.

"I think not!" Scarlet said as she whirled the two remaining troopers. "Shoot them! Don't let them put out the fire! We're sending a message, do you understand?!"

The troopers reluctantly open-fired on the villagers, deliberately missing.

"Kya-ha-ha!" Scarlet laughed. Then she frowned. "Oh please! You can shoot all day and never hit them with aim like that!"

The troopers continued to shoot, still missing on purpose.

Scarlet growled and grabbed one of the trooper's rifles, shoving the man aside. "Stop playing around!" She began shooting, immediately hitting one of the villagers. "Cover me!" she ordered.

The woman's aim proved to be deadly accurate. Soon, the villagers were running away from the blaze while five people lay in a pool of their own blood.

"FOLLOW THEM!" Scarlet screamed. Before she could take off running, one of her bodyguards grabbed her arm.

"Ma'am! If we let you go and you get shot, the president will have our heads!" he spoke.

"If you don't let go of me, _I'll_ have your heads!" Scarlet snarled.

Just then, she felt her PHS vibrate. She automatically took it out, and saw a text message from Hollander.

_Heard you secured the deal with Corel! Looking forward to celebrating together. –H_

"Hmm…you know what?" Scarlet said, sounding strangely reasonable for once, "You've got a point." She then turned to troopers. "Both of you, move out!"

* * *

"I can't believe I saw that with my own two eyes!" Zack said as he and Genesis stood behind a building near the inn.

Indeed, when he heard the explosion, he had assumed that there was more the one culprit at work. He had been shocked and horrified to see Scarlet lobbing grenades with reckless abandon. What the hell kind of people were running the show at Shinra?!

"Will she really get away with that?" Genesis asked, recalling the newspaper headline that had caused him to take flight from Cosmo Canyon. That memory served to answer his own question, as the sickening realization hit him: she probably _would_ get off scot-free.

"No way…" Zack said in utter disbelief. He couldn't allow himself to think that Scarlet would go unpunished for her actions.

"What do we do now?" Genesis asked as he watched Scarlet and her bodyguards finally go back inside the inn.

Zack looked at Genesis dead in the eye. "We stop this madness."

"Even if it's against orders?" Genesis challenged him.

"If saving innocent people is against orders," Zack said firmly, "then I resign right now…but not before I do what I can. Are you with me or not? I know you're Shinra's 'honored guest' and all..."

Genesis smirked. "Let's do it."

* * *

"What the hell is going on?!" Elfé exclaimed, shocked, as the buggy approached the town border.

"We should help!" Aerith exclaimed, having recovered somewhat from her hangover.

"I suppose you're right," Sephiroth muttered, not wanting to get involved, but not wanting to let innocent people die.

The group had finally set off from the bottom of the Gold Saucer to tie up loose ends with Angeal's truck. Angeal and Sephiroth had spent the afternoon learning how to maneuver the large craft, while Elfé looked after Aerith.

However, upon arriving at the town line, the four of them realized that Angeal's truck was the least of their worries, seeing several buildings engulfed in flames.

"Stay in the buggy!" Sephiroth ordered Aerith, who shook her head vehemently.

"I'm fine!" she insisted stubbornly, "You'll need a healer, anyway!"

"Let's go!" Elfé shouted before anyone could start to argue, and ran off into the town. The others followed.

Aerith pulled the top of her rash guard up over her nose in an attempt to filter out the smoke billowing from the engulfed buildings. She then spotted an old man lying on the ground and rushed over to him. She turned him over onto his back before realizing, to her horror, that the man was already dead.

"No…!" she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Aerith," Elfé said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder, "There's nothing we can do for him now. Let's keep going and see if there's anyone else we can save!"

Aerith lingered for a few seconds, making a gesture with her hand indicating a bid for the man's safe migration to the Lifestream. Then she ran off again, with the others following behind her.

"I'm going on up ahead!" Sephiroth announced, "The rest of you, stay together!"

Before anyone could protest, he sped off.

"Wait!" Aerith raised her hand, "I hear someone!"

"Dyne!" a woman could be heard yelling, "Dyne, where are you?!"

Aerith, Elfé and Angeal took off, following the sound of the woman's voice. As they rounded the corner of one of the burning houses, they spotted a woman wandering around frantically, her hands clutching her swollen abdomen.

"She's pregnant!" Elfé realized.

Just then, the porch behind the woman collapsed. One of the wooden beams supporting it toppled over, bearing down on her.

Before anyone could react, a man in a 1st Class SOLDIER uniform dashed from seemingly out of nowhere, shoving the woman aside. She shrieked, but managed to maintain her footing.

"Eleanor!"

A dark-haired man dressed in a white sleeveless mining shirt came running up to the pregnant woman. "Let's go!" he said as he pulled her away.

"But that SOLDIER!" the woman protested.

"It's the Shinra that _caused_ all of this!" he could be heard saying as they ran off, leaving the SOLDIER, who took the blow from the falling beam and lay on the ground, apparently unconscious.

"We have to help him!" Aerith exclaimed as she ran over to the young man.

Elfé and Angeal followed her.

"Everybody, let's go!" Sephiroth called out to them, appearing from several feet away, "There's a bunch of people gathered up ahead, and it looks like they have the situation well in hand! There's nothing else we can do! All the other people I've encountered in the streets are already dead!"

"No!" Aerith protested as she recognized the young man, "That's him! He's the SOLDIER who died in my vision! I'm not going to let him die if I can help it!"

Sephiroth was about to argue with her, but Elfé raised a hand in his direction and called out first: "Make it quick, Aerith! Let's get out of here the moment his wounds are closed."

"I have to make sure he'll wake up!" Aerith insisted as she cradled the SOLDIER's head in her lap, using her innate healing ability to close the gash on his forehead. She then tried to rouse him by shaking him gently, but to no avail. "He's not waking up!" Aerith coughed as the smoke began to blow in their direction.

"We need to get out of here before the smoke causes everyone to pass out!" Sephiroth insisted as he approached the others..

"Then I guess we've got no choice," said Angeal.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sephiroth asked as Angeal picked up the young man and hoisted him over his shoulder.

"Aerith says he's okay, and let's face it- the three of us saw him get injured protecting that woman and her unborn child. He acted in a way that every soldier should…protecting the lives of innocent people. The least we can do is take him somewhere safe to recover."

"He's not a lost puppy that we're bringing with us!" Sephiroth argued.

"Hmm…" Angeal chuckled as he patted the boy's spiky hair, "I beg to differ…"

He began walking off toward the buggy. Aerith and Elfé followed closely behind.

"It'll be okay," Aerith reassured everyone, "I hear the planet's song…it's kind of like its way of playing 'Hot and Cold'. If I'm doing something right, the planet sings."

"Everyone's lost their minds today…" Sephiroth growled as he trudged after them.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that…" Aerith said sharply.

* * *

"Ahh…" Scarlet breathed in the fresh air as she and her bodyguards stepped off the cable car, walking around the entrance to the Gold Saucer. "This is more like it. I can't believe I even considered spending another night in that dusty old town. Someone else can take care of the construction of the reactor."

"Do you honestly think the survivors will stand to have a reactor built after everything that's happened tonight, ma'am?" one of the bodyguards asked.

"Don't be stupid," Scarlet said arrogantly, "They won't _dare_ try and stop us now that they've seen what we can do. And besides, we can use the incentive program to build more houses, like we did with both Gongaga and Nibelheim. More people will want to move there, and the town will thrive. This little incident is nothing as far as the big picture is concerned."

The bodyguards said nothing.

"Now let's get going!" she snapped, "I reek of smoke, and all I want right now is a nice hot shower…"

* * *

"In the end…you still took him away, Angeal…" Aerith said quietly, having finished explaining her vision to Angeal and Elfé. "Only…you're both alive."

"I actually did consider joining SOLDIER a very long time ago," said Angeal, "before Sephiroth told me what the Shinra were really like. Good to know his advice saved my life, from the looks of it."

The team had driven in the buggy for hours, all the while keeping an eye on the unconscious Zack. Finally, they stopped to camp out, deciding that they were far enough from Corel that any Shinra personnel involved in the fire would not encounter them. Angeal had also suggested that they bring Zack out and allow him to get some fresh air. The young man had been placed on an extra sleeping bag not far from the campfire, while everyone else sat nearby, warming themselves.

"Unnngh…Kunsel…"

Everyone turned to see the young SOLDIER stirring. Aerith immediately rushed over to him.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked gently.

The young man opened his eyes, and stared vacantly.

Aerith scowled at his strange expression. "Uh…hellooooo…?" She waved at him, making sure he hadn't gone blind.

"Am I in heaven?" he asked, not moving.

"Uh…no," Aerith answered hesitantly.

"So you're not an angel?" he asked.

Angeal burst out laughing, while Sephiroth rolled his eyes in disgust.

"That's the worst pick-up line I've ever heard," Elfé said bluntly, "But, I guess if he's well enough to hit on you, he'll survive."

Aerith looked away, blushing.

"Two angels…" the SOLDIER said, still sounding groggy.

Sephiroth immediately appeared in his line of sight, looking annoyed.

"Oh god…and an angel of death!" the SOLDIER whined.

"Enough about angels," Sephiroth said impatiently, "Can you stand?"

He extended his hand to the young man, who hesitated at first, but then grabbed it. Sephiroth yanked him up to a standing position.

"He's steady," said the silver-haired swordsman dismissively.

"No, I'm Zack," the SOLDIER joked, "Who are you guys? Citizens of Corel?"

"Travelers passing through," Angeal answered, "We've been driving for the past six hours."

"Don't you think we'd be a little more pissed off if we were residents of that fresh pile of rubble?" Elfé asked.

"Hey, that wasn't my fault!" Zack protested defensively.

"I know," Aerith interjected right away, "We saw you take the hit when that beam fell toward the pregnant woman. I know it had to be someone else who started the fire."

"It was Scarlet," Zack admitted, "the head of Shinra's weapons department. She was the one making the final negotiations for the town to allow a mako reactor to be built. An unknown assassin took a shot at her, and Genesis and I ran off after the suspect. But then, she went too far and started throwing bombs at one of the buildings. We got back with the assailant's weapon, and saw everything that happened. With the fierce winds going on, the fire soon spread, and when the villagers rushed to put out the blaze, she ordered the troopers to shoot them.

"She also grabbed a gun and started shooting at people herself, until her bodyguards convinced her to go back in the inn where it was too far away to catch fire. But some of those troopers…they really got into it. I was able to disarm them, but the fire managed to spread to even more buildings. That's when I saw that pregnant woman almost get hit by falling debris. I ran to save her, and I don't really remember anything after that."

"You got hit instead," Sephiroth said, "Angeal-," He pointed at the raven-haired swordsman. "-is the one who pulled you away from the blaze."

"I don't know what to say," Zack said solemnly as he nodded at Angeal, and then looked at everyone else, "You could have easily left me behind, where I would have probably been arrested for disobeying orders. But you took me with you where I'd have a chance to at least figure out where I'll run to next."

"Thank Aerith," Sephiroth said, "She's the one who begged us not to abandon you."

"I saw you save that poor woman," Aerith said, "Now she and her baby will get a second chance thanks to you. I figured you deserved the same."

"I don't know how I can possibly repay you…" Zack said, looking down at his feet.

"You can't help who you're assigned to take orders from," Aerith said, trying to comfort him.

"You _can_ help signing up to take those orders in the first place," Sephiroth retorted.

Struck by his words, Zack sat back down, looking dejected.

"Seph!" Aerith scolded him, "Don't you think you're being a little harsh?"

"Well, you've pretty much summed up my feelings that have been building up these past five years," Zack muttered.

"You've been in the army for five years?" Elfé asked, stunned, "How old are you?"

"Eighteen," Zack replied.

"Bare minimum," Sephiroth remarked partly to himself.

"Well, Gongaga had nothing going on for me, sadly," Zack laughed sadly.

Sephiroth did a double-take. He peered closely at the boy, and the sudden realization hit him. His photographic memory allowed him to see the little boy's face as clearly as if it were happening right now. His hair was longer, and carefully spiked…he then remembered the angry young woman.

_"__Zack…you get back here right this minute!"_

_Oh god_…Sephiroth thought, _don't tell me you joined because of me…_

He was thankful that the hair dye was still fresh. They would definitely have to get rid of the boy before he realized who Sephiroth was. Though he had the feeling Zack would never rat out the person who had saved his life years back, the boy was just too much of a liability...

The sound of footsteps approaching made everyone leap to their feet and take out their weapons, however, everyone stopped and stared as they saw the familiar redhead approaching, with two 2nd Class SOLDIERS in tow.

"Well, well, well," Genesis said chuckling, "All of my friends are together. Isn't that an interesting twist?"

"Genesis?!" Aerith exclaimed, fitting her staff back in the holder strapped to her back.

"Who are those two?" Sephiroth asked suspiciously.

"They're with me," Zack said, jumping in front of Genesis, holding his hands out indicating that he meant no harm. He then turned back to Genesis. "Are you saying you know these people?"

Genesis smiled and nodded. "You've definitely proved to me which side you're on, so I suppose it's safe to tell you everything."

"Genesis!" Sephiroth barked, looking alarmed.

"Seph, it's _okay!_" Aerith insisted, "Trust me! Have my instincts _ever_ been off?"

Sephiroth looked at Aerith, and then glanced back at Genesis, Kunsel, and Luxiere. Finally, he backed off.

Aerith turned to the new arrivals, regarding them warmly. "If none of you are injured, then maybe you might be hungry? We've got a surplus of food now that we can fit a lot more stuff in our new vehicle. I didn't even know that there was a gas station with a convenience store between Corel and the Gold Saucer, but we stopped there on the way back to Corel and loaded up."

"I'm absolutely famished right about now," Kunsel spoke politely, "I really appreciate that, miss."

"My name's Aerith," the teenager introduced herself, "Who are you two?"

"Kunsel Semenec," Kunsel answered.

"Luxiere Forrest."

"Well, do as the young lady says," Genesis urged, "It's going to be a long night, and we might as well start by getting to know one another."

"It'll take the Shinra a while before they realize we're not among the dead bodies and start to hunt us down," said Zack.

"We're hostages of Avalanche," Genesis said, "They're the ones who took a shot at Scarlet. We were bewitched by the two women and now we suffer from 'captor's love'. Case closed."

Elfé grumbled, looking annoyed.

He then went over to the fire, sitting down between Angeal and Sephiroth.

"I missed you guys," Genesis said cheerfully.

Angeal relented and clapped a hand on his best friend's shoulder, while Sephiroth merely sighed.

"How did you guys catch up with us so quickly?" Zack could be heard asking, "It's after midnight, so we had to have been driving for at least six hours."

"Would you believe that Genesis can fly?" Luxiere answered, "He just happened to see your campfire."

"I still can't believe I was up in the air like that!" Kunsel exclaimed.

"You showed them your wing?!" Sephiroth was incredulous.

His friend shrugged.

Sephiroth pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Genesis seemed to be doing one foolish thing after another. He had flown off, letting himself be seen in the air. He had joined the Shinra as a double-agent of sorts. He had returned with two members of SOLDIER…the enemy. Yet, they were breaking bread with said enemy at the insistence of both Genesis and Aerith.

This trip was veering into surreal territory.

* * *

Barrett sat quietly outside of Corel's hospital, which had fortunately been untouched by the fire that had taken the lives of over a third of Corel's population.

A doctor had just informed him that Myrna had succumbed to smoke inhalation, having been trapped in their house too long before Barrett had broken down the door and gotten her out.

He had been too late.

"Hey."

Dyne stood outside the room that his wife now rested in.

"Is she all right?" Barrett asked, not looking up.

"Yeah, she and the baby are both okay," said Dyne, "She said a SOLDIER pushed her out of the way when part of a porch came falling down. I left him to die like the selfish bastard I am, but now that the smoke's literally clearing, I really hope that he got away somehow…

"Anyway, she's sleeping now. It's mostly nerves and exhaustion. They're gonna keep her until the baby is born, since she's so close. How's Myrna?"

"She's gone…" Barrett whispered painfully, shutting his eyes tightly. It was a wonder that any tears managed to get out.

Myrna, who had been his wife of five years…who had wanted so badly to bear him a child…was dead.

Dyne said nothing, but walked over to the bench where Barrett sat, sitting down next to him. He stared at the floor, placing a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder while great sobs of grief began to wrack Barrett's giant frame.

* * *

A/N: I'm in a Dragonball state of mind, because the views on this story are "OVER 9000!" ^_^

So yeah, Corel hasn't been destroyed, but it's been hit pretty hard, which the residents won't be likely to forget. Whether they rebel or fall into quiet submission remains to be seen. Ironically, Hollander may have helped save the town by unknowingly convincing Scarlet to go back inside the inn. That, and the fact that Zack's regiment aren't total monsters like the one that originally accompanied Scarlet in the game.

I'm having one of my productive periods. We'll see how long it lasts. :P


	23. Chapter 2: 2x Your Party 2x Your Fun

Shout-outs:

Greatazuredragon: No chocobo-head yet, but someone very close to him will be appearing in this chapter. ^_^

Badnephilim: Aerith's figure is too sleight for her to pile on the drinks and not be hurting the next day. Even that doesn't count her magical heritage, which allows for even more insanity(burning sheets).

Seph shouldn't worry too much, considering Zack was hitting on Elfé as well.

Faunalind: Well, ultimately, nine people did fit in the buggy in the original game. But the party will swell to roughly a dozen people by this story's climax.

Genesis grabbed them and flew off, of course! My guess is, he was always reckless, which was how he got that fateful injury in Crisis Core.

At least Barrett has Dyne on his side now.

BelieverofManyThings: Thanks for deciding to follow this story!

JazzQueen: It almost seems rather silly and contrived what Scarlet did, but the dialogue where she grabs the gun and starts shooting is actually lifted DIRECTLY from the game. It's amazing how little the president cares about these things, but as Rufus stated in the original game, President Shinra just likes to throw money at a problem in order to make it go away. And of course, mako is money.

* * *

Chapter 2: Double Your Party, Double Your Fun?

"It was really horrible," said Aerith as she spoke on Elfé's PHS to her parents the next day, "But we're all okay…and we've even got some new travel companions! …Yeah, new friends of Genesis. I know they'll try to help get him to the Northern Continent safely. I'm feeling really good about this…"

The group was driving through the mountains the next morning(literally _through_ the mountains, having just passed through a tunnel that went through the mountains west of Corel), intent on making it to Nibelheim by the end of the day. Between everything that had happened with Corel, gaining four travel companions, and the exchanging of information between Genesis and his friends, it had been after two in the morning when everyone finally settled to sleep.

Sephiroth had been ill-at-ease from the moment Angeal had picked up Zack and brought him along, with Aerith's blessing. True, he did seem earnest in his desire to leave the Shinra. Seeing what had happened in Corel at the order of his superior(Scarlet), and having the integrity to stand up for what he believed in would ordinarily make Zack exactly the kind of ally Sephiroth would want. However, his constant flirting with both Aerith and Elfé was what made him wonder just how seriously the young deserter took life. Maybe that six-year-old who rushed into danger without a care was still alive and present within the now eighteen-year-old.

At least Aerith and Elfé were handling his dalliances the way he would have expected. Aerith was polite but didn't give him an inch. Elfé alternated between ignoring him and calling him out. In fact, she was ignoring yet another pick-up line from Zack as Angeal drove the buggy over a series of hills.

Genesis, who was watching the same scene, leaned over Sephiroth's seat and began telling him about how Zack seemed unable to help himself around attractive girls. However, strangely enough, while a couple of troopers had actually begun liaisons with the local girls in Corel right away, Zack had _only_ flirted.

"That might be cause for a few theories," Genesis remarked.

"Look who's talking," Sephiroth retorted.

"Given the facts that we are now all aware of," Genesis said, "It could be an alien thing. Maybe we're just not interested in sleeping around?"

"That doesn't bode well for the propagation of our species," Sephiroth responded, "Men are supposed to spread their seed."

"Maybe we'll live longer and therefore have a better chance," Genesis suggested, "Didn't you say that Cetra live about thirty years longer than humans? Maybe we do too."

Sephiroth then glanced at Aerith, who sat in the back row with Elfé, and was still on the phone with her family. Given the now slightly higher tone of voice, she was likely speaking to Gabe.

"Let's keep quiet about all that for now," Sephiroth said, observing Zack, Kunsel and Luxiere, who were sitting in the second-to-last row, in front of the girls. Zack had given up on charming Elfé for the time being, and was now deep in conversation with his friends about a movie they had seen back in Midgar.

"Suit yourself," said Genesis as he lay back down on the large seat that made up the first row, which he had all to himself so that he could rest when he needed.

The buggy had been a godsend, Sephiroth had to admit. It had four rows of seats behind the driver and front passenger seats. The first three rows of seats could fit up to three people, while the back row was good for four people. In short, up to fifteen people could fit on the large vehicle. In addition to that, there was a waterproof storage area underneath, which was accessible from both inside via a trapdoor, and outside via a large hatch.

Everybody had been impressed with the treasure that Sephiroth had won. However, everyone knew that they would have to say goodbye to the buggy once they arrived in Nibelheim, as there was no way to get their means of transport over the narrow pathways of Mt. Nibel. Elfé promised Angeal, who had quickly become attached to the new vehicle, that one of Avalanche's contacts would see it driven back safely to Cosmo Canyon.

In any case, the important thing was to get to Rocket Town before the Shinra 26(the name of the rocket) was launched. However, it seemed as though they were making excellent time, and would arrive at least a couple of weeks before the launch. If they could just convince Cid Highwind to throw in his lot with them rather than the Shinra…

"Guys, I've got something really important to tell you," Aerith announced loudly as she handed the phone back to Elfé, "It's about Corel."

Everyone turned around, looking expectantly at her. Angeal stopped the buggy and climbed out of his seat, while Sephiroth also got out of the passenger seat. Both moved over to the empty second row of seats and sat down.

"Avalanche _was_ responsible for the attempt on Scarlet's life," Aerith said, "But it was _not _sanctioned by the leaders! Some angry young recruits staged the shooting by themselves. They were shot by members of the army stationed outside. One man's fingerprints matched the ones found on the gun."

"But Avalanche will be blamed, regardless," Sephiroth stated, "Corel's going to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. The Shinra burned half of the town to the ground, but it was Avalanche who allegedly started everything. How can the townspeople trust either side?"

"Da-," Aerith then cut herself off and started over: "The leaders will be working on damage control. _We_ still have to keep going."

"How do you know that this 'Ancient City' will provide you guys with a cure for whatever's making Genesis sick?" Zack asked.

"Well…we don't," Aerith lied, not about to tell three strangers about her ability to converse with the planet. "It's our best possibility, though. Not many people have been able to enter the city without the key. Thankfully, the key that the Shinra archaeologists used long ago was stolen and hidden somewhere safe."

_By my father,_ Aerith thought with smug satisfaction. The first time Ifalna had escaped the Shinra with Professor Gast, her father had stolen the Lunar Harp, which nullified the curse of the Sleeping Forest. That information had come to her the other night, courtesy of the planet, which possessed Gast's memories.

"Where's the key, then?" Kunsel asked.

"It was sent to Bone Village," Aerith answered, "I'm the one who was told where to find it, and it needs to stay that way, just to be safe."

Everyone else nodded.

The plan was perfect. Elfé's phone could take pictures of anything written down, which they would send over to Barnabas' phone, for Ifalna to translate. Between that, and the planet's guidance, they would be able to find a cure for Genesis easily, without having to reveal Aerith's true nature.

Sephiroth had taken her aside earlier that morning and warned her that if any of the SOLDIERs were to blow the whistle on Aerith's whereabouts, it could very well earn them a pardon from the president, despite their desertion. While her vision from the planet had made her instantly trust Zack, there was nothing to account for the other two SOLDIERs that Genesis had brought with him. Nothing could guarantee that they wouldn't get cold feet and come running back to Shinra, backstabbing everyone in the process.

Angeal and Sephiroth went back to the front of the buggy. Angeal started the engine and began to drive again.

"Oh- rest stop dead ahead," he remarked, seeing the telltale architecture of a gas station.

"Pee break!" Luxiere cheered.

"Good thing I brought my wallet with me," said Kunsel, "Sodas are on me!"

"Ooh- get me a Carbuncle Cola!" Aerith begged, "Please?"

"Lemon Spritze," Sephiroth requested.

"Just a bottled water is fine for me," Angeal asked.

"Ginger-ale," Genesis requested.

"Do you need a pen?" Elfé asked Kunsel.

Kunsel sighed, feeling slightly over-whelmed. "Yes, please…"

* * *

The rest stop had an extra-long picnic table outside, where the party of eight sat munching on their travel rations and drinking the sodas that Kunsel had bought. Rather than discuss their mission, everyone was trying to get to know everyone else. While Zack, Kunsel and Luxiere offered plenty of details about themselves, Sephiroth, Aerith, Angeal and Elfé were a little more guarded, preferring to share their likes, dislikes, and personal philosophies.

"You're both martial artists?" Zack asked Aerith and Elfé, somewhat surprised, "How long have you been doing that?"

"Since I was almost six," Aerith answered, "So almost twelve years."

"I was about eight," Elfé guessed, not letting on that she wasn't completely sure how old she was. "Fourteen years, give-or-take."

"Ah, I figured you were older," Kunsel remarked.

"I'm the baby of the group," Aerith said, grimacing.

"When were you born?" Luxiere asked.

"February, 1985," Aerith answered.

"March, 1985," Luxiere said with a smile, "Sorry, Aerith. You've been dethroned."

Aerith raised her can of cola. "Long live the king," she joked.

Sephiroth got up from the table, walking back to the buggy.

Sensing that something was up, Aerith immediately stood up and followed him.

* * *

"You've been tense all day," Aerith said worriedly as she entered the buggy.

Sephiroth, who was now leaning against the window with his legs stretched across the first row of seats, heaved a frustrated sigh.

"I don't trust the Shinra," he said flatly, "I hate to say it, but I even trust Genesis less for choosing to get involved with them."

"Seph…" Aerith looked away, slightly hurt. "I really wish you'd trust me. I know you're all about logic, and yes…logically, what we're doing doesn't make any sense. We should be staying away from people that work for the Shinra." She approached Sephiroth, who made room for her to sit down next to him. "Yes, it makes sense that they could be _saying_ that they've had it with the company's treacherous ways, and laying a trap. But to me, to my mother, to my brothers and sister…the planet's wisdom is the _ultimate_ logic."

Sephiroth heaved a long sigh, resting his forehead against his hands, which were pressed together as he sat. Finally, he looked up at her and spoke:

"I _do_ trust you," he said, "and Genesis is still my friend, whom I want to help. I do _not_, however, trust who might have been hired to watch Genesis. I hope like hell that he was able to lose any spies when he took off with those two other SOLDIERs, but if they don't believe his story about being captured by us…they'll be hunting him down as a deserter. And if they do buy the story about us taking them prisoner, we've got an even larger bounty on our heads."

"But isn't it best that he join us now?" Aerith reminded him, "Now he'll be able to come with us to the abandoned city, where the planet told me and my mom that Genesis' cure lies. And maybe this Hollander guy will stall the Shinra, if he really wants them taken out like he told Genesis."

Just then, the door opened, and Angeal stepped inside.

"If we believe anything that Hollander says," Angeal said, having overheard, "then we're only going to be asking for trouble. I'm saying this now, after my mother told me everything about him: don't trust him. Genesis and I have agreed to disagree on the subject. I don't want to have to do the same with you."

Aerith hung her head, saddened that Angeal was completely unable to trust his own father, much like Sephiroth. She then felt thankful that both her biological father and her adoptive father were both honorable men. Her mother had chosen good husbands each time.

Was choosing a mate really instinctual for Cetra, as Ifalna had once theorized to Aerith a couple of years ago? Would it be the same for Aerith since she was only half-Cetra?

Suddenly, she realized she was staring at Sephiroth, and quickly looked away, embarrassed. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice.

* * *

Everybody soon piled back into the freshly refueled buggy, and within four hours, the town of Nibelheim began to appear in the distance.

"Finally!" Zack cheered.

"Sorry you'll have to say goodbye to your new 'baby' so soon," Elfé said to Angeal, having switched seats with Sephiroth.

"You promised that she'd be safe with your people, right?" Angeal reminded her.

"'She'?" Elfé laughed, "What, did you also give 'her' a name?"

"_Serendipity_," Angeal answered, "It fits, doesn't it? If we'd had to fit eight people in my old truck, everyone might have killed each other, if the combined weight of eight people and their things didn't cause another breakdown first."

"It does fit," Elfé agreed, "But don't worry. You'll get her back soon enough. Maybe we'll use her in battle someday."

"Well, she _is_ built like a tank," Angeal agreed, "Maybe someone in Avalanche can build some turrets on the top."

"Oh, I like that," Elfé said coolly, "I'll send a memo back home."

It only took a couple of minutes to reach the entrance to Nibelheim. Angeal parked the newly-dubbed _Serendipity_ off to the side, away from the mountain and any falling rocks that might damage it.

"I think you three need to stay in the car for a bit," Elfé said, turning to the three SOLDIERs. She then looked at Genesis. "You too. I can't believe you're likely wanted, either as deserters or hostages, and you planned to just waltz through town dressed in your SOLDIER uniforms."

"I've got an eye for size," Aerith said helpfully, "You're all around the same size and height, so getting you new clothes shouldn't be a big deal." She then glanced at Zack's spiky hair. "Maybe I'll get you a hat as well," she giggled.

"Those SOLDIER-issue swords are too recognizable as well," Sephiroth added, "Don't worry- we can arm you at our expense. I'm sure you'll find something you like."

"We'll be back," Elfé said as she, Angeal, Sephiroth and Aerith exited the buggy.

* * *

"As you can see," Hollander said, gesturing at the red-haired SOLDIER trainee sitting next to him in his office, "Genesis made it back safe and sound. Given that I'm his custodian of sorts, he felt it was best to contact me when the incident in Corel occurred. He's still very new to SOLDIER protocol, and was not informed of the rendezvous point for soldiers in the event of a disaster."

"You had us worried, my boy," President Shinra said heartily as he patted the young man on the back, "I was saddened to hear of the passing your young mentor and the two 2nd Class SOLDIERs. At least we'll be able to give them a proper burial."

"He's still a little shaken up by that," Hollander said, patting Genesis gently on the shoulder. "He tried hard to save them."

"Scarlet was extremely hasty," the president acknowledged, "She'll be taking a vacation for a while…on her own gil. Fortunately, there's no reason we can't still have the reactor built. The houses that were destroyed were flimsy. It's no wonder they went up so quickly. I'll send over Midgar's finest architect to design replacement homes that will withstand their sandstorms and stay cool in the summer heat. As for the families of those who perished…it will cost us dearly, but we'll promise restitution and pay it over time."

"Clearly, Corel is no Wutai," Hollander remarked.

"Indeed," said the president with a wink, "We can be thankful for that, right?"

He turned around and left Hollander's office.

The scientist turned and regarded the imposter. "Good job," he said, "You can leave now."

The young man stood up silently, exiting through the back door.

"Beautiful…" Hollander whispered to himself, "This will be too easy. Ah, Genesis, the things you can do for me…"

Just then, his phone rang. Hollander pulled it out of his pocket and examined it, seeing the "No Caller ID" on the screen. He answered it. "Hello?"

_ "__Afternoon, Doctor."_

"Speak of the devil and he calls," Hollander chuckled.

_"__So how did it work? Did he believe the copy was really me?"_

Hollander laughed raucously. "Without a doubt!"

_"__Excellent. I can't believe that worked. Who knew you could make temporary copies of me like that?"_

"You'll be okay for the time being, thanks to me. His condition will last long enough to buy you time to do whatever it is you need to do."

_"__And those bodies you got from Deepground's morgue: he really believed they were the bodies of my companions?"_

"The things we can do with replicating DNA are unprecedented," said Hollander confidently, "Thanks to our spy, I now have access to DNA samples of every member of SOLDIER."

_"__I'll have to meet this mysterious benefactor when I return,"_ said Genesis.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Hollander opened it, motioning for the person to come in.

"That little temper tantrum that Scarlet had might be a blessing in disguise if it means that we've now got three members of SOLDIER deserting…and possibly helping our cause?" Hollander finished the sentence with a hopeful tone.

_"__Maybe. It's a pity that Angeal's mother turned Avalanche against you, considering how helpful you've been in getting the Shinra off of our tail. They won't be looking for three dead SOLDIERs, and they won't be looking for me if I'm right there with you. By the way…how long until the effects wear off and he's himself again?"_

"As soon as I give him the antidote," Hollander lied, "Don't worry. You take all the time you need. You were here with me when he volunteered to be your stand-in, should anything happen. Everything's fine."

_"__I appreciate all of this, Doctor. I have to go now…you know the drill."_

"I eagerly await your next call." Hollander was sincere this time. He then hung up, and grinned at his new guest. "This has all been way too easy."

Fuhito laughed softly as he adjusted his glasses. "I agree. Now for your end of the bargain: tell me about Omega Weapon. Apocalyptic stories absolutely fascinate me…"

* * *

"I hope you weren't peeking," Zack said as he, Kunsel and Luxiere emerged from the buggy, wearing their new outfits. His tone, however, suggested exactly the opposite.

Aerith playfully shoved Zack away. "Don't you ever get tired of being like that?"

"Like what?" Zack taunted her good-humoredly.

"Not bad," Elfé commented, looking appreciatively at the trio.

"I've got an eye for fashion," Aerith said proudly.

"Hey, I helped too," Elfé protested, "I got them their armor and boots."

Gone were the SOLDIER uniforms, having been stored in the cargo area of the buggy. Aerith had returned after being gone for only one hour, handing a bag of clothes to each of the defectors. They had changed inside of vehicle, behind the safety of the tinted windows.

All three young men wore bluish-grey mythril pauldrons and black steel-toed boots(much like the ones Angeal wore).

Kunsel wore a green headband around his light brown hair, a matching long-sleeved T-shirt, and brown pants.

Luxiere's buzzed dark brown hair was hidden under a red cap, and he wore a red T-shirt and khakis.

Zack wore a black wife-beater, and dark blue cargo pants. A blue bandana covered the top of his hair, which now stuck out only at the sides.

Aerith giggled as she looked Zack over. "You look a bit like my dad, only his hair isn't spiky as much as it is messy. Plus, he's got dark blond hair."

"Nice," Luxiere whispered to Zack as she and Elfé walked away, "You remind her of her dad. That _could_ be a good thing, depending on what kind of psychology you believe in."

"Wait- she's the one who picked out his clothes," Kunsel pointed out, "What does that mean?"

"I dunno, you guys…" Zack sighed, "I'm not really getting anywhere with the girls in this group. I guess the mission is more important to them." He then chuckled. "They'd make really good Turks."

"Hey, speaking of Turks," Kunsel said, "What do you think this means if you ever run into your old lady-friend from Midgar? You think she'd report us, or look the other way? I think _that_ one actually likes you…even if she expresses her feelings like a typical Turk."

"I've noticed something," said Luxiere, "The girls that actually fawn all over you seem to be the ones you don't give two shits about."

"Because they're looking for a sugar daddy SOLDIER to take care of them," said Zack, "You really think they'd ever love us for us?"

"Well, they certainly say it often enough in the act," Luxiere snickered.

"Yeah, people say a lot of things they don't mean when the hormones are going wild," Kunsel pointed out.

"Guys, are you coming or not?" Elfé called back to them from a good hundred feet away.

"Sorry!" Zack called back as he and the others began jogging toward the town entrance.

* * *

"I suppose three rooms for the night would do it," Angeal said to the clerk at the inn, "There's eight of us: six guys and two girls."

"Three rooms is all we have," the innkeeper said as he handed the young man three sets of keys, "Lucky for you none of them are booked. It's a hundred gil for each room."

Angeal pulled out his wallet and handed the man three one-hundred gil notes.

_…__The time…_

The swordsman whirled around, having sworn that someone had just whispered something in his ear. However, he saw nobody, nor could his hunter's instincts sense anybody's presence save for the clerk and two other guests sitting at a table in the corner of the lobby.

"You okay?" the clerk asked, concerned.

"Um…yeah," Angeal said absently as he looked around, "I guess I'm just tired. I've been driving for hours."

"That'll do it," said the clerk, "I'd go to bed early if I were you,"

"Good idea," Angeal said as he left to go find the others.

* * *

"Everyone," Elfé announced to the others who were milling about outside, "Meet our mountain guide!"

She waved her hand, indicating a busty girl standing next to her, dressed in a brown leather skirt and matching vest. On top of her head, she wore a tan cowboy hat. Offsetting her rugged outdoorsy clothing were the white teardrop-shaped earrings she wore, and her extremely long(even longer than Sephiroth's) hair, tied off at the end.

"Hi," she said cheerfully, waving as she glanced at everyone.

Aerith went completely pale, as she recalled having seen the girl bleeding from the horrible gash in her chest.

"She'll be the one escorting us through Mt. Nibel tomorrow, making sure we stay safe." Elfé explained.

"Yep!" the girl said confidently, "I know my way through the mountains like the back of my hand. I take tourists through all the time."

"So people give you their money, and you make sure they don't get crushed by falling rocks, or fall off of cliffs." Sephiroth concluded.

"Pretty much," the girl said, undaunted.

"Sorry, what was your name again?" Elfé asked.

"I'm Tifa Lockheart," the girl said loudly, addressing everyone.

"Uh, are you sure about this?" Zack asked uncertainly, "I mean, I really don't want to be putting you in any danger."

"Yes, Zack is the king of chivalry," Kunsel droned sarcastically.

"Don't worry about me," Tifa said confidently, "I'm tougher than I look,"

"It's true," said a hefty middle-aged man. He adjusted the cloak on his back and smoothed back his grey hair. "Tifa is my best student."

"…Are you a rock-climbing instructor?" Luxiere asked dubiously.

The man burst out laughing. "Not quite. I'm Zangan. I travel around the world, teaching children martial arts, which I've done since I was in my early-twenties. Tifa is my current student, and the only one of the children in the village I've taken on who's withstood my training. I'll actually be joining you as well tomorrow, if that provides any reassurance. The two of us will be journeying to the wilderness north of Dragoonshire…or Rocket Town if you prefer. It's all part of a training trip that we've been planning for some time now. That means we'll all be going the same way for the time being."

Elfé stared at the old man, not saying anything.

Zangan caught her eye and then glanced at the travel bag she carried. "ANSMA…" he said, "What's that stand for?"

"Academy of Non-Striking Martial Arts," both she and Aerith chorused.

Zangan chuckled, "Ah, so you're both students, I take it? Since both of you responded?"

"Yes, sir," Aerith said respectfully.

"Non-striking?" Tifa asked, tilting her head curiously.

"I've never thrown a punch in my entire life," Aerith confessed, "We throw, we block, we grapple, and we pin, but we don't hit, kick, or gouge."

"So you're from Cosmo Canyon," Zangan concluded.

"How did you know?" Aerith asked.

"I've…been around," Zangan chuckled again. He looked at Tifa. "Shall we be off?"

"Yes, Master Zangan," Tifa said obediently. She waved at the others. "I'll see you tomorrow!"

Elfé watched her and Zangan walk away together, clearly thinking hard.

* * *

"You're _sure_ money's no issue?" Kunsel asked as he stared in awe at the crystal sword he held in his hand.

He and everyone else were crowded in the weapon store, examining its wares. Sephiroth had suggested that now might be a good time to upgrade, given that they had enough funds to do so.

"For the last time, no it's not!" Genesis said, rolling his eyes. "Why settle for a boring SOLDIER weapon when you can have something better?"

"In that case, I'll take the same one," Luxiere said as he grabbed an identical sword.

"You don't want something that lets you stand out?" Angeal asked.

"I'd rather get something I don't really have to adjust to all that much," Luxiere answered. Kunsel nodded in agreement.

Zack walked over to Angeal. "That's one amazing looking sword," he said, pointing at the Buster sword, "Where'd you get it?"

Angeal smiled. "There's a swordsmith over in Banora where Genesis and I came from. This sword had been one of his greatest creations, but he was very picky. He wasn't ready to sell it to just anyone, and that special someone also had to be able to pay the price he was asking. So I was lucky that he was willing to hold onto it for me. The businesses that Genesis, Sephiroth and myself were in helped me earn the small fortune that the swordsmith was asking for. My dad once offered to get a loan so that he could buy it for me, but I refused. He's an old fellow, though he used to be strong, and I didn't want him working to his grave to pay it off. It's funny, though…I might have taken him up on his offer had I decided to join SOLDIER…like I had planned to do when the program first launched. I was much younger back then…and less considerate. I'm glad he didn't have to trouble himself."

"So you were in that juice business with Genesis?" Zack asked.

Angeal nodded. "We were also monster bounty hunters," he added.

"Sounds like you two are pretty close," Zack said as he picked up a large-bladed sword with a four-pointed gold handle.

"Oh, great choice!" the man behind the counter said excitedly, "That's Ragnarok, and it's been available for the past two years. Unfortunately, we don't really have any warriors who call this place home…" he then chuckled, "…well, except for one young boy who left here a couple years ago. He always used to stop by and stare at the sword when we first got it. He said he was going to join SOLDIER, come back, and buy this. But, I certainly don't mind if you beat him to it."

"Aw, now you're gonna make me feel bad about buying it…" Zack said, obviously conflicted.

"Hey- that thing could survive an inferno," the clerk argued, "Besides- like the old saying goes: you snooze, you lose. Maybe that kid found a weapon he liked even better. Or maybe he didn't wind up in SOLDIER. Who knows? Who cares? The question is: do you want a badass weapon like this?"

Zack stared at the large sword for what seemed like an eternity to the clerk. Then he looked at the man and smiled. "I'll take it!"

* * *

The afternoon passed quickly. After upgrading their weapons, purchasing extra materia, and a few jackets for the cold mountain weather, the party of eight followed Elfé outside of the city again, back to the _Serendipity_. Standing near the buggy was a red-haired girl about the same age as Aerith, carefully looking over the vehicle.

"Good to see you again, Shalua," Elfé greeted her as they stood outside of the town gates, "Angeal…everyone…I'd like you to meet Shalua Rui. She'll be taking the buggy back to Cosmo Canyon."

Angeal stuck his arm out. "Pleasure to meet you," he said.

"Likewise." Shalua shook his hand. "I take it you're the owner of this vehicle?"

"Only because I have no interest in owning such a monstrosity," Sephiroth interjected wryly.

"Sephiroth won the vehicle, but yeah, I guess you could say I managed to get rather attached to this thing in the short amount of time I was able to drive her," Angeal explained. He placed his hand on the side and gazed somewhat sadly at the buggy.

"I'll take good care of it," Shalua promised.

"Master Terrato will be looking after it once it gets back," Elfé added, "along with the mechanic who fixed your truck the first time it broke down."

"Only to break down again?" Angeal teased.

"Accepting the fact that your truck was a lemon is the first step toward inner-peace," Elfé retorted, "Oh, and honor. Mustn't forget honor."

Genesis burst out laughing, which soon turned into a coughing fit.

"That doesn't even make sense," Angeal protested, annoyed.

"Maybe not, but that was a pretty good burn, regardless," Genesis wheezed.

"Careful now," Angeal warned him, "We wouldn't want you to die laughing now, would we?" His tone suggested otherwise.

Luxiere leaned over to Zack and whispered: "God, those two guys bicker like an old married couple sometimes. They did the same thing this morning, too. You don't think they're…?"

Zack shrugged. "Maybe they're the manly types," he reasoned.

Sephiroth, who was standing right in front of the two SOLDIERs and could hear everything they said, bit his lip in order to conceal a smile. He had made the same accusation once years ago, much to their chagrin.

"Genesis, would you mind joining us?" Elfé asked as she and Shalua began to walk away, "Shalua has something important to ask you." She then turned to address everyone else. "Guys, we'll be right back, all right? Make sure you grab everything you need from here, because Shalua will be leaving in just a few minutes!"

Angeal opened the hatch to the storage area and began looking around for his things, while the others waited in line for their turn.

* * *

"I joined Avalanche last year," Shalua explained to Genesis, "one year after the Turks came and took my sister away. I haven't seen her since. Elfé told me via text message that you were a 'special guest' of the Shinra."

"I was only in their company for a week," Genesis admitted, "But I may have established a connection or two while I was there…"

Elfé scowled at him, causing Genesis to chuckle slightly.

"You shouldn't worry so much, Elfé," he teased her, "You'll get wrinkles before your time."

"Why shouldn't I worry about what you do?" Elfé asked, "Considering how secretive you've been. I hoped you might be able to help Shalua, but-,"

"What does your sister look like?" Genesis interrupted before she could continue to berate him.

"She'd be eleven years old now," Shalua answered, "Red hair, same color as mine. It was always short, but maybe it's longer…I have no way of knowing."

"I haven't seen any children during my time there," Genesis told her, "Why did they take your sister?"

"To be a special SOLDIER candidate," said Shalua.

Genesis frowned. "That was two years ago? But I thought that…" he trailed off.

"Genesis told us last night that Shinra's planning to start recruiting females into the SOLDIER program," Elfé explained, "And it sounds like they intend to do it on a vast scale. Plus, since women never seem as interested in fighting as men are, it's possible that in the future, women and girls will be taken away en masse and forced to fight."

Shalua looked horrified.

"But the way Hollander said it implied that they had just recently come up with that idea…" Genesis pondered aloud. He looked at Shalua. "What's your sister's name?"

"Shelke," Shalua answered, "We have the same last name."

"Shelke Rui…" Genesis murmured, lost in thought.

* * *

After Shalua drove off, the group went back into town and split up. Aerith and Elfé went to buy more potions, ethers and rations, while the men wandered off to a field nearby and began practicing their swordplay. Luxiere foolishly asked Sephiroth if he wanted to spar, only to be almost instantly disarmed after the start of the match. Angeal and Genesis tried to conceal their laughter, while Kunsel and Zack stared in amazement.

Eventually, they all met up again at a sandwich shop for dinner.

Sephiroth had noticed throughout the meal that Aerith was somewhat subdued. After everyone left the establishment, he watched as she instantly went off by herself, rather than tagging along with Elfé as she usually did(which was just as well, as the swordswoman was walking in the direction of the pub). She walked over to the large well in the center of town and leaned against it, looking up at the sky, which was only just beginning to darken. He could see the troubled look on her face.

Quickly, he began jogging and soon caught up with her. "What's the matter?" he asked, concerned.

Aerith hugged herself, shivering as she shook her head nervously.

"Are you cold?" he asked, noting the breeze that was now blowing.

"No," she replied, "But…it happened again. That girl with the hat…Tifa…she's another person who appeared in my vision. She had a gash across her chest, like she'd been cut with a sword, and she was bleeding to death."

"But she wasn't dead?" Sephiroth asked.

Aerith shook her head.

"I'll let Genesis and Angeal know," Sephiroth promised her, "We won't let anything happen to that girl, I assure you."

The demi-Cetra smiled. "Thanks, Seph. You always know how to make me feel better."

"I should hope so, given how long I've known you," Sephiroth replied, smiling back. "Shall we go back to the inn?"

"All right," Aerith said. She then grabbed his hand, and the two of them began to walk. "Like when I was little, remember? You'd hold my hand when we'd walk back to the Shildra Inn."

"I remember."

The wind began to pick up as they continued walking.

_…__is now…_

"What was that?" Sephiroth asked her.

Aerith frowned. "I didn't say anything."

Sephiroth stopped and looked around, but saw that they were the only ones around. Elfé was already inside the pub, and the others had gone back to the inn.

"Oh, look," Aerith said, pointing at a house nearby. The window was open and a TV could be seen inside, turned on for whoever lived there. "That's probably what you heard."

"You're probably right," Sephiroth said.

He and Aerith finally arrived at the inn. Sephiroth opened the door, allowing Aerith to enter first. He followed her, but not before looking around one more time. Finally he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Elfé sat at the bar, sipping from a frosty mug of beer. As she heard footsteps approaching, she turned her head.

"So…how _is_ that crazy idealistic younger brother of mine?" Zangan asked as he undid his cape, draping it over the back of a nearby stool chair.

Elfé smiled slightly. "He's fine. He had a heart attack a while back…but he's fine now. He's left most of the teaching to his prized student."

"Ah…Bernard, was it? Messy dark blond hair, about this tall?" He gestured with his hand before sitting down.

"Barnabas," Elfé corrected him, "Well…_Master_ Barnabas. He's Aerith's stepfather."

"The young girl who was with you?"

"Mm-hmm," Elfé replied as she took a few more sips from her mug, "He has three children of his own as well…Aerith's half-siblings. They all study at Master Terrato's school as well."

"Did my brother tell you how we fought over who would teach him when we all lived in Midgar?" Zangan asked, smiling amusedly at the memory.

"He did…" said Elfé, "Master Terrato has been my guardian for the past fourteen years."

Zangan looked intrigued. "I see. I guess that makes you my niece of sorts. One pint of ale, please," he said to the bartender, taking out a few gil and putting it on the table.

"He talks about you sometimes," said Elfé, "That's how I figured out who you were."

"I'm sure he says that I'm a coward," Zangan said bitterly, "I didn't want to get involved in his extremist ideals. I simply wanted to travel the world, teach my style, and enlighten one young mind at a time."

"Not at all," Elfé argued, "He tells fun stories of when you two were young…how your mother and father each came from a different school of martial arts, and how they agreed to split you up so that each of them could teach one of you. You chose the striking style that your father came from, while he chose your mother's non-striking style."

"Ironic how the supposed 'non-violent' style gave rise to an eco-terrorist organization," said Zangan. Finally, he lifted his mug to his lips, and began to chug, not stopping until the glass was empty. "Ahh…!" he exclaimed, "Now I can practice the 'drunken fist'!" He burst out laughing at his own joke.

Elfé shook her head resignedly, but smiled nonetheless.

"Well, I should go," Zangan announced as he stood up and dug into his pocket, pulling out a few gil notes and placing them on the table. "I've got a few things to think about now. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir," Elfé said.

* * *

A/N: Shalua was originally a member of Avalanche in the compilation storyline, but left because she disliked how Fuhito was running it. Since Fuhito is too busy double-crossing everyone in the Shinra, there would be no reason for Shalua to go her own way in this universe.

I'm curious- has somebody recommended my story somewhere? Because I've gotten six new followers in the past week, which for me, is unprecedented. :O

Well, either way, thanks to all my new readers!


	24. Chapter 3: Whispers of Madness

Shout-outs:

Sephiroth Crescent-Valentine: Thanks. Don't worry, I know I took my time with this chapter, but as you can see, I'm still into this.

Rolnoice: Thanks for reviewing! Funny you mentioned Sephiroth's feelings about his mother. You'll have to wait a few chapters, but the answer to your question IS forthcoming. I hope you like what I write.

badnephilim: Actually, in canon, Fuhito may have been a fan of Hojo's work, but in the end, his only desire was to reset the planet back to the primordial ooze. He's more like Gendo Ikari from Evangelion than anything, except he doesn't even have a dead wife he wants to see again as his reason.

Greatazuredragon: Omega would achieve Fuhito's goal just as well as Zirconiade. If he gets his hands on either of them, the world is toast. Methinks the group will wind up in Midgar after healing Genesis…if they can get to Cid first.

Faunalind: Tifa would be fifteen around this time, with Cloud being sixteen. And just for reference here, Zack and Kunsel are eighteen, Luxiere and Aerith are seventeen, Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth are twenty-five, Elfé is in her early twenties, and Zangan is old. :P

Ardwynna: When you're a teenager, you can always make time for gossip. They could be running from WEAPON itself and still share their theories. :P

JazzQueen: If Shelke were to be found sooner, there might be more hope for the kid.

BelieverofManyThings: Thanks! Hope you enjoy this next one.

* * *

Chapter 3: Whispers of Madness

"God, you look like hell…" Elfé commented bluntly to Aerith the next morning.

Aerith stood before the mirror in their room at the inn, putting the finishing touches on her braid. Noting the dark circles under her eyes, she looked down and sighed.

"I would say I had a nightmare," Aerith told her friend, "but it's not quite that…though it's close. Every time I would start to fall asleep, I just felt…like someone was watching me.

"You know those movies out in the drive-in theater? The scary movies where some serial killer is following people? I seriously thought someone was going to jump out of the shadows and kill me."

Elfé frowned. "Where's all this coming from? You've never been the type to have an over-active imagination."

Aerith laughed in spite of herself. "It's nuts, right? But that's what I seriously felt every time I tried to sleep- like there's something in the air. Something really creepy. No…more than creepy. Like something's really not right."

"You didn't say anything when we first arrived yesterday," Elfé responded.

"I didn't feel it then," Aerith explained, "But ever since we settled down for the night, the feeling just started to grow…from nothing, it seems like."

Elfé cocked her head to the side. "Did you tell the planet?" she asked, "I mean, with it guiding you and all…"

"The planet talks to me when it's ready," Aerith answered as she stepped away from the mirror, "I can meditate, and..._open_ myself up to its wisdom…" She flung out her arms wide, emphasizing her point, and then dropped them. She shook her head, looking slightly frustrated. "…but I can't really start conversations with it."

"I've known you for twelve years, and I still can't understand what you're talking about when you tell me about the planet," Elfé chuckled resignedly.

"It's like describing sight to a person who's been blind their whole life," Aerith told her, "That's the best I can tell you."

Elfé nodded.

"Do you think that girl Tifa wears make-up?" Aerith asked, using her finger to stretch the skin below her eyes. "I could use something to cover these dark circles."

"The fifteen-year-old daughter of a small town mayor wearing makeup?" Elfé laughed, "I doubt it. Too scandalous. Besides- if she's training with Master Terrato's brother, and he works her as hard as we do at ANSMA, she'd sweat it right off." Elfé then poke Aerith's shoulder playfully. "And since when were _you_ so vain? Are you becoming 'worldly' now, after just a couple weeks away from home?"

"I just don't want to worry Sephiroth," Aerith argued.

Elfé smiled. "Your devotion to Seph is adorable, but he's a big boy. He won't fall apart just because you had a bad night."

"I feel so much tension going on in his mind," said Aerith, "Maybe it's because he's been used to life in the temple. Now, we're traveling north non-stop, across an entire continent and then some. We're traveling under assumed names, dyeing our hair depending on how many Turks or SOLDIERs are swarming about…"

"Yeah, your dye is already washing out," Elfé remarked.

"I don't think I need to dye it again," said Aerith, "There's no need. Even when we get to Rocket Town, we'll be arriving well before any Shinra personnel do. Hopefully we can get that lift to the Northern Continent ASAP. Then, we're home free."

"I imagine coloring your hair is also getting to be a pain in the ass," Elfé added.

Aerith grinned. "That too."

"Well, we should be going," Elfé said as she looked around the room they had stayed in last night, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Satisfied, she and Aerith walked over to the door and exited the room.

* * *

Zack stared at Sephiroth, who had just emerged from the shower, toweling his once-again silver hair dry.

Angeal, Kunsel and Luxiere had already gone outside for a run, while Genesis remained in the hallway, waiting for his turn in the bathroom. However, the redhead stayed put, sensing that something interesting was happening.

"So it was you the whole time…" Zack said solemnly, "How come you didn't just tell me right away?"

"I knew you'd find out eventually," Sephiroth answered, "I've only got enough dye left for one more wash, and I'd rather wait until we're near Rocket Town."

"I could have been killed…" the renegade SOLDIER spoke, partly to himself, "And then only a few days ago, you're involved in saving my life again. You sure you're not my guardian angel?"

"I hope not…" Sephiroth droned, "I'd better not have to save your skin again. It's starting to get tiring."

"Well…for what it's worth," Zack said sincerely, "thank you. I hoped I'd get to see you again someday so I could tell you that."

"You _did_ thank me," Sephiroth said flatly, "right after it happened, in between your blubbering."

He began to walk away.

"...Hey, I was six and scared shitless!" Zack argued as he followed after him, "Besides- real men aren't afraid to cry…!"

Genesis chuckled, shaking his head as he walked into the bathroom.

* * *

"Looks like we got back just in time," Angeal said to the two 2nd Class SOLDIERs as he saw everyone else gathered in the town square, including Zangan and Tifa.

"No need to go back inside," Zack said, patting Angeal's travel pack, "We brought everyone's things downstairs. We're all set to go."

"How long will it take to get down to the other side of the mountain?" Angeal asked Tifa.

"It takes about four hours for the average tourist," the young girl responded. She then looked the group over. "Given how in-shape everyone here looks, though, we might be able to clear it in about three hours…maybe less. So, are we all set, then?"

There was a general murmur of confirmation from the group.

"Let's go, then!" Tifa said brightly as she turned around and began walking down the road, with everyone following her and Zangan closely.

"Feeling all right?" Angeal asked Genesis, as they brought up the rear with Sephiroth.

"Just peachy," Genesis stated, "I just picture some crumbling city in my mind, and hope they have a nice couch somewhere I can take a ten-day nap on. Hopefully when I wake up, Aerith will be all done with her treatment and we can focus on the really important stuff…like making sure my parents will be able to rest in peace in Banora. I can't bring them back just yet…"

Sephiroth briefly eyed Genesis' travel pack. "What do you mean, bring them back?"

"I see what you did just now," Genesis said sarcastically, "Very funny. No, I didn't bring their ashes with me, they're in a storage locker in Midgar. I hate that I had to leave them there like that, but at least they're together…and I _will_ get them back to the old homestead…once we draw the Shinra out of Banora. As soon as we declare war on them, they'll reel in their troops, Turks…whatever. I'll sneak back there and lay them to rest."

"As you ally yourself with Dr. Hollander," Angeal pointed out bitterly.

"We need all the help we can get, Angeal," Genesis argued.

"Not to the point where we wind up selling our souls," Angeal warned him, "You're standing way too close to the fire."

"There it is…" Sephiroth spoke suddenly, cutting into his friends' argument.

Genesis and Angeal stopped bickering long enough to see where Sephiroth was pointing at: a large desolate mansion up ahead, nestled in the the back of the town, near the narrow path leading out to the field before Mt. Nibel.

"What is that?" Angeal asked.

"The place I was born," Sephiroth answered, not taking his eyes off of the mansion, "At least that's what Professor Gast told Ifalna, who told me after he was killed."

"Didn't you say once that you came here before?" Angeal recalled, "When you were a kid?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I was eight years old. It was my first time in the outside world...albeit with chaperones controlling my every move. They even fixed up a room for me there, since we didn't have a good experience staying at Costa Del Sol's hotel."

"What happened in Costa Del Sol?" Genesis asked.

"There was a screaming baby in the next room that kept me up half the night. But I'd take that any time…over the nightmares I had when I stayed _there._" He nodded his head at the giant structure, which they were getting even closer to now.

"Looks like a haunted house," said Genesis, "I'm sure if I were a little kid and I had to stay there, I'd have nightmares too."

Sephiroth shook his head. "The atmosphere didn't frighten me. To this day, I still can't quite put my finger on it. It's almost as if there were…some unearthly presence there."

"Well, your mother was being spliced with Jenova cells over there, just like our mothers were back at the Banora Underground," said Angeal, "That's what my mother told me, anyway. I suppose Jenova's presence still lingers to some degree."

"So this was the home to Project S…" Genesis mused.

"I wonder what's become of Jenova's body," Sephiroth said warily as they started walking past the building.

Suddenly, one by one, the three young men sank to their knees, clutching their foreheads.

"Guys?!" Aerith exclaimed as she ran back over to them, "What's wrong?!"

Everybody else hung back, not knowing what to do.

Aerith placed her hands on Sephiroth's head, concentrating as her palms began to glow.

Sephiroth relaxed suddenly as he felt the warmth radiating from the demi-Cetra's palms. He then began to pitch forward, but Aerith managed to catch him, barely maintaining her balance.

"Who's voice is that?!" Genesis groaned painfully.

"Huh?" Aerith turned around and gently let go of Sephiroth, who leaned back on his knees. She went over to Genesis and administered the same treatment on him. The redhead let out the breath he realized he'd been holding.

"It's gone…" he said wondrously, "…Not just the pain, but the voice."

Aerith quickly moved over to Angeal, working her healing magic on him now.

"What kind of spell was that?" Angeal asked, relaxing after she finished.

"My own little combo," Aerith answered, "Mostly healing, with a touch of protect and shell. Did you all hear a voice?"

"It was a woman laughing," Genesis said wearily.

"It wasn't me!" Tifa said defensively, "There wasn't anything funny about this!"

"No, it definitely wasn't any of you three ladies," Angeal reassured her, "I've never heard this voice before. It was…" He shook his head, unable to elaborate further.

"Maybe we should go back to the inn," Zangan suggested.

"No, no…" Sephiroth waved his hand dismissively, "I'm fine."

"Yeah, I say we just forget this even happened," said Genesis as he stood up.

"If Genesis is okay to go, then who am I to complain?" Angeal concluded, "Let's just keep going."

"Seph?" Aerith noticed him staring at the mansion in the distance. She walked back over to him and placed a tentative hand on his shoulder.

"I was just telling the others about the nightmares I had as a child, the night I stayed in that mansion," Sephiroth told her, "It was shortly before I met you and your mother, and the first time I ever left Midgar."

"I did feel something…threatening," said Aerith, "But I didn't want to say anything."

"Let's just keep moving," Genesis said irritably, "This place has been…I just don't know…"

He walked off toward the path leading to the mountains.

"-Hey! You can't just go off ahead of everyone else!" Tifa shouted as she ran to catch up with Genesis.

* * *

"Isn't the reactor in the mountains?" Kunsel asked as the group walked carefully along a steep, narrow bridge.

"Yep!" Tifa said, "It's forbidden to the general public, though."

A loud, shrieking noise startled everyone and caused the party to look up. Several winged creatures soared through the air, weaving around each other and circling the higher peaks of the mountains.

"What the hell are those?" Luxiere asked.

"Sonic Speeds," Tifa answered, "Be careful. They'll double-team you from both sides, so always stay close to someone else. They're all over the mountain. They're weak to wind, so I hope some of you have Tornado spells handy."

Genesis and Kunsel each raised their hands.

"Never underestimate the power of 'contain' materia," Genesis said to Kunsel.

"Couldn't agree more," Kunsel stated happily.

"Great!" Tifa said, pumping her fist enthusiastically, "You guys are prepared. I like that!"

She turned around and kept walking, motioning for everyone to continue following her.

* * *

After passing through a large cavern with what looked like a maze of tubes and getting through half-a-dozen battles with the Sonic Speeds, Tifa suddenly stopped at one of the few exits..

"If anyone has to use the bathroom," she announced, "There's one right below the entrance to the reactor."

"That's a relief..." Zack said.

"No pun intended?" Luxiere joked.

"Yeah, I could use a bathroom break…" Aerith said.

"All right, then," Tifa said as she led the group outside.

"Don't mind me," Luxiere said as he headed away from the others, "I've only gotta do number one, so I'll just take care of business out here..."

"Ladies first," Zack offered Aerith, opening the door for her.

"Thank you, Zack," Aerith went in, closing the door behind her.

"Another drain on the planet…" Elfé said disapprovingly as she, Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis stood in front of the reactor while the others milled about the area. She shook her head. "If I could, I'd blow this-!"

"Shh!" Angeal hissed, gesturing at Tifa, Zangan, and the three AWOL SOLDIERs, who were completely unaware of their discomfort.

"Ugh…I know…I know…" Elfé muttered.

A flushing sound could be heard, and Aerith soon flung the door open, running out.

Zack chuckled. "What's the matter? Spiders?"

Aerith ignored him. Shrugging, the raven-haired SOLDIER walked into the bathroom.

"She's there…" Aerith said to Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis, and Elfé, "Part of her was in the mansion…but now…it feels even stronger. It's so…I've never felt something so scary..." She crossed her arms and shivered. "It certainly doesn't help that the lights don't work."

"An evil that resides in all of us…" Angeal said grimly.

"Don't ever talk like that again!" Aerith snapped, "You're nothing like that!"

Angeal continued to stare uneasily at the reactor.

The door opened, and Zack came out. "Looks like someone's a little scared of the dark," he teased Aerith.

The staff-user smiled uneasily. "Guilty as charged," she lied.

"Awww, your big brothers will keep you safe, won't you guys?" Zack grinned at the three older swordsmen.

"Of course," Genesis said, patting Zack on the head, "Did you remember to wash your hands?"

"Yes, moooommmmm…" Zack said in a little boy voice as Zangan entered the bathroom next.

"I'll blame that 'evil' crack on the foul atmosphere up here," Aerith said to Angeal as she and Elfé began walking back to the cave. She then clapped Angeal on the back and smiled. "Cheer up, sunshine!"

Elfé snickered as the two girls joined the others near the cave entrance.

"If you guys knew how to fly," Genesis said to Sephiroth and Angeal, "You could have each taken a couple people and cleared this place by now. I doubt anyone would see us, especially if we'd gone at night."

The door then opened, and Zangan emerged.

"You think we could both learn to fly?" Sephiroth whispered as the older man walked past them.

"Maybe we could figure it out tonight when we camp out," Angeal suggested.

"Man always dreams of flying…" Sephiroth quoted his old texts from the temple.

"'Wings of light and dark, spread afar…'," Genesis quoted as well, "…'She guides us to bliss…her gift everlasting'…"

"Don't worry, everyone," Tifa announced as they stood in front of the entryway, "About half-an-hour more, and we're all done."

"How did you wind up getting a job like this, anyway?" Aerith asked.

"It's kind of ironic," said Tifa, "You see…for a long time, I was afraid to come here…even before it became infested with monsters. When I was a kid…I came here with some friends, and had a pretty bad accident. I was even in a coma for a little while. For years, I wouldn't even go near the base of the mountains. Then a few years ago, when Master Zangan started teaching me, he decided our first lesson wouldn't be punching, blocking or kicking…but conquering my fears." She glanced at Zangan, smiling. "If I could do that, I could do anything."

"Interesting…" Elfé piped up, "Master Terrato told me a story of a certain older brother of his always running up to him with snakes in his hand, knowing that he was terrified of them. His brother said he was 'toughening him up'." She then stared pointedly at her guardian's brother.

"Last I knew, he wasn't afraid of snakes," Zangan declared smugly.

"Master Zangan's refined his technique a bit since then, I assure you," Tifa laughed.

"Thank you, Tifa," Zangan said, putting a friendly hand on his student's shoulder, "Good to know my one remaining student in Nibelheim believes in me."

"You said there were other kids here who dropped out," said Elfé, "How many students did you originally have?"

"Ten," Zangan answered, "Two students, who were siblings, moved after a year. Four couldn't handle it and dropped out from the beginning. That often happens; I don't blame them. Two were contenders for a spot at the universities, and their parents pulled them out since they didn't want my lessons distracting them from their academic studies, though they were sad to quit. The last one was pulled out because his parents became convinced I was out to brainwash children. Apparently, there's a website on the Worldwide Network that accuses me of being a cult leader." He chuckled. "My fame precedes me, it seems."

"Cult leader?" Aerith repeated, frowning.

"I don't accept adult students," Zangan explained, "Adults try to argue and rationalize, and in order to successfully utilize my fighting style, you have to do the techniques _exactly_ as I say. Apparently, people think that means I tell them to live their _lives_ exactly as I say. Like brainwashing…" he laughed, "Go figure."

"That family tried to tell my papa the same thing," Tifa scoffed, "Good thing he's reasonable…for the most part. We'd be in pretty deep trouble if he weren't reasonable."

"That's right- you're father's the town mayor," Aerith recalled.

Tifa nodded.

"Is that ever hard for you?" Elfé asked, "People probably hold you to high standards."

Tifa shrugged. "I get good grades, I don't get drunk or cause trouble. That's all anyone ever asks of me."

Suddenly several loud inhuman cries could be heard resonating from inside the cave. Everybody's hands flew to their weapons, while Zangan and Tifa's fists clenched.

"Nibel wolves…" Tifa said warily.

"Should we wait it out here?" Aerith asked.

"No," Tifa warned her, "That cry we all just heard…it means we're their target. We can't outrun them in such a narrow space either. They'll probably be guarding the exits."

"Too much time chit-chatting..." Genesis groused.

Just then, three of the large, dark brown lupine creatures came charging out of the entrance, narrowly missing Kunsel, who dodged just in time. The mangy beasts began growling at the party.

"Ten against nine!" Zack said, his normally easy-going tone completely serious now. "Don't worry, everyone, this'll be a piece of cake!"

"BOLT!" Genesis shouted, summoning a lightning spell on the wolf trio.

Two of them leaped out of the way, landing in back of Elfé, who immediately spun around, drawing her katana as she did so. The third wolf was struck by the spell, howling in agony.

Aerith immediately cast a Fire spell on the wolf closest to her, while the third recovered from the lightning attack and leaped onto Genesis, who quickly threw the beast off of him.

"I've got this!" Luxiere cast a Comet spell, causing a large space rock to smash onto the wolf that had been hit by Aerith's Fire spell. With a groan, the creature collapsed, not moving again.

"All right!" Luxiere cheered.

"Don't celebrate just yet!" Tifa warned him.

One of the beasts emitted a loud, eerie howl. The fallen wolf stirred, and climbed back on its feet.

"What the hell?!" Luxiere exclaimed, "It got back up!"

"They do that!" Tifa shouted, "They have revival abilities! That's why getting them one at a time doesn't work!"

"Three of us on each of them, four for the pack leader!" Elfé ordered.

"Split up?" Angeal asked Sephiroth and Genesis. The two of them nodded. "Let's do it, then," he said.

Aerith and Elfé followed Sephiroth, while Zangan and Tifa went with Angeal. The three SOLDIERs followed Genesis, dividing their blows and spells as Elfé dictated.

Aerith gasped as the wolf she was fighting suddenly sprang forward and knocked her down. She could hear glass breaking as she fell on her back, crushing her pack. "No!" she exclaimed, "The ethers!"

Sephiroth glanced at both Angeal and Genesis, who both caught his eye. They raised their respective swords, bringing them down on the three wolves, stabbing them each straight through the heart.

The wolves all let out one last howl before they collapsed, and soon went limp. At the same time, Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis withdrew their swords. Sephiroth "put away" Masamune, into thin air(which invariably led back to his old room at the temple). The other two each took out a piece of cloth and began cleaning their swords.

"That looked almost choreographed," Zangan remarked appreciatively.

"No, they're just exceptionally in sync," Elfé said, sounding almost jealous.

"You can say that again," Zack agreed, his tone equally envious.

"Are you all right, Aerith?" Sephiroth asked as he helped the staff-user up.

"I'm fine," Aerith sighed, "But I can't say the same thing for the ethers…" She opened her travel pack and looked inside. "A lot of broken glass…"

"Let me handle that." Sephiroth reached inside, his black leather gloves protecting his hands from the broken shards.

Everyone sat down to rest while he sifted through all of the broken glass, placing all of it inside a spare sack he had produced from his own travel pack.

"That one looks mostly intact," Tifa said hopefully, pointing at a ether bottle whose neck was broken, but still contained plenty of the mysterious substance.

"There's probably tiny pieces of broke glass in there," Genesis replied, "We shouldn't take any chances."

"He's right," Sephiroth agreed as he reluctantly poured the expensive liquid away.

"Hey, your elbow's all scratched up," Kunsel remarked as he took Aerith's arm and lifted it up.

Aerith quickly snatched her arm away. "I can just bandage this," she said dismissively, "I've got to conserve my energy now."

"If you only bandage it, the wound might get infected," Elfé argued, "You know that your mom would say the same thing."

"Use this," Zangan said as he handed her a potion.

"Thank you." Aerith opened up the small vial and poured the liquid on her elbow, rubbing it into the wound, which immediately began to heal. She then sighed. "All our ether is gone," she said miserably, "This is all my fault!"

"No it isn't," Sephiroth reassured her, "We should have agreed to split up the ether amongst ourselves. In the future, we'll be sure to do so."

"At least we've still got plenty of potions for healing," Zangan said, patting his own pack.

"We're almost off the mountain, anyway," Tifa added, "There's a little supply depot about a mile from the base, anyway. We'll reach it soon."

"Actually, Tifa," Zangan said, "I've got an idea…"

"What is it, Master Zangan?" Tifa asked.

"This is an exceptional group," Zangan remarked, "Sometimes, when you have such a situation, it's wise to think outside the box…"

He motioned Tifa near the edge of a steep slope that led straight down to the valley leading to Rocket Town.

"Think they could manage to climb down there?" he asked, "I know you and I could take this without any trouble. That Nibel wolf pack was small…I'm sure there's more members of their pack, and they must have sensed what's happened by now."

"They'll be here any minute now to avenge the pack-mates," Tifa concluded worriedly.

"They'd never be able to follow us that way," Zangan said, "Not unless they suddenly grew opposable thumbs."

"Guys, new plan!" Tifa called out, motioning for everyone to gather around.

"What's up?" Zack asked as everyone approached her.

"We could actually climb down from here," Tifa announced, glancing downward, "You guys are the most in-shape bunch of people I've ever had the pleasure of guiding. I think we all could pull this off…unless you don't like heights."

Elfé stiffened momentarily, before she collapsed on the spot.

"Elfé!" Aerith exclaimed as she rushed over to her friend.

"They're in-shape, but clearly they have low blood-pressure if they keep collapsing all the time…" Zangan quipped in a low voice, "Maybe I spoke too soon?"

"Master Zangan!" Tifa exclaimed disapprovingly.

"Here, I'll help you, Aerith," Sephiroth offered as he gathered the unconscious woman in his arms, carrying her to a large boulder and propping her up against it in a sitting position.

Aerith cast another healing spell, causing Elfé to stir.

"Ugh…why is everyone looking at me…?" she mumbled, turning slightly pink.

"You passed out suddenly," Angeal said, scowling.

Elfé groaned, looking embarrassed. "That hasn't happened in years. Give me a minute…" she muttered, taking out her canteen and taking several sips before putting the cap back on.

"I could carry you if you're not feeling up the climb," Sephiroth offered.

"I hate to be a burden…" Elfé sighed.

"You're not," Sephiroth insisted, "Aside from these mountains, you're the one who knows all the best routes. That's hardly what I'd call a burden. Now, can you stand?"

He held his hand out to Elfé, who grabbed it, and hauled her to her feet.

"How much did that take out of you?" Sephiroth asked Aerith, who was still crouching.

Aerith briefly massaged her temples. "No problem," she said brightly, "I was at my best this morning."

_Liar…_Elfé thought, staring at her friend.

"Yes, but you healed several people today, and now we don't have any ether to keep your strength up," Sephiroth pointed out, "Your mother always sent you out of the house with half a vial of ether so you wouldn't overtire yourself."

"I don't understand," Angeal said, confused.

"Aerith's our bleeding heart," Elfé said good-naturedly, "She couldn't stand to see a kid fall on the playground without healing them. I don't think the school nurse liked her much…she saw Aerith as a threat to her job, I guess."

"Oh, she was a mean old bat who used too much peroxide on people's cuts, anyway," Aerith said dismissively.

"Anyway, Aerith usually needed to drink the ether after casting a few healing spells, or else she'd get really unfocused," Elfé continued.

"That's a weird kind of condition," Kunsel commented, "Are you an ex-Shinra like Seph is?"

"Yeah, I was their secret battle prototype," Aerith joked, "Now let's get going, huh?"

"You're sure you'll be okay to climb without the ether?" Sephiroth asked.

"It's okay," Aerith insisted, "You just worry about Elfé. I'll be just fine."

She then stood up, only to stumble slightly as her hand flew to her forehead.

"That didn't look too good," Genesis remarked.

"What if you carried Aerith, and I'll carry Elfé?" Angeal suggested, "I've got even more upper-body strength than you do."

"Are you making a comment on my weight?" Elfé weakly joked, repeating the same line from Cosmo Canyon before they had left.

"Yes," Angeal answered, smirking.

"Ass," Elfé chuckled softly.

Sephiroth pondered the idea. "Hmm… Yes, that sounds sensible."

Zack turned to Tifa. "Just so you know, I'm a pretty strong guy myself, so..."

"I know just what you're about to suggest, and you are _too_ kind!" Tifa interjected happily.

"My back's been ailing me all week, son," Zangan added, "You do look like a strapping young man. Thank you for offering to carry an old fart like myself, SOLDIER-boy!"

He then ruffled the young man's spiky hair affectionately.

"I-I'm not in SOLDIER!" Zack denied, imagining that huge man riding his back the entire climb down.

"Sure you are," Zangan chuckled, "I trained a boy who joined SOLDIER. He invited me to his place when I was passing through Midgar. His friends were there, and they all had those same mako eyes that you _and_ the other two boys have." He then turned to Sephiroth. "Then there's you...I never saw anyone with your shade of eyes. Turquoise, I guess. But glowing like a SOLDIER's eyes. Maybe you had a mako accident like Aerith's stepfather? He used to work for the Shinra too, after all."

"I'm fine with calling it that," Sephiroth quipped.

"Well, let's go, everyone," Tifa said, clapping her hands.

"Why me…?" Zack moaned as he, Kunsel and Luxiere followed Zangan and Tifa over to the edge.

"This is where they found you…wasn't it?" Sephiroth asked Elfé quietly.

Aerith suddenly looked grim, recalling that Elfé had been found wandering around lost and in a bad way, by that creepy older boy who used to work for Dr. Triton all those years ago. Only afterward, did Terrato take her in and raise her as if she were his.

Elfé sighed, a bleak expression on her face. "Not here, okay? We can talk about it later."

Angeal looked slightly puzzled as the four of them joined the others near the steep slope. As they watched the others climb down, he and Sephiroth sank to one knee, allowing Elfé and Aerith to climb onto their respective backs. As soon as the girls were steady, both men stood up, and walked over toward the edge where they slowly began making their descent.

* * *

Tifa couldn't help but giggle as Zack sat down gingerly near the campfire that had been set up not long after making it down the mountain. The young deserter had been walking strangely the entire time, begging Aerith for a potion. Aerith had refused on the grounds of serious injury being the top priority...

_ "__This _is _a serious injury!" Zack had protested._

_ "__Maybe if you weren't in SOLDIER it would be, but you guys are tougher than the general public," said Aerith, "Just look at Seph! He carried me all the way down the mountains and he's fine."_

_ "__You weigh half as much as that old man!" Zack argued._

_ "__You shouldn't have offered to carry him, then," Aerith said sweetly._

_ "__I didn't, damn it!" Zack muttered to no one..._

* * *

Zack got up after deciding that sitting was to painful, electing to walk several feet away and lie flat on his back.

"Now if I could just stay like this for the next couple days…" he sighed.

"You have the worst luck, Zack," Kunsel said as he and Luxiere sat down next to him.

"What he said," Luxiere agreed, "Aerith and Elfé don't give a damn, and Tifa's got her own personal bodyguard to literally sit on you."

"Don't worry, guys," Zack declared. He then raised his finger in the air. "Mrs. Right is out there! Maybe she's even waiting for me in Rocket Town!"

"I thought your last name was Fair," Luxiere said.

Zack reached over and smacked his friend on the back of his head.

* * *

"Who says I'm a bad teacher?" Zangan chuckled as he watched the three SOLDIERs from a distance, "Not every martial arts instructor fends off a horny SOLDIER from his students."

"_Nobody_ says you're a bad teacher, Master Zangan," Tifa said, rolling her eyes, "You're just fishing for compliments again."

"Ah well, even teachers can have bad habits," Zangan joked.

"So long as you know, sir," Tifa joked back.

"Lunch is ready!" Aerith called out.

"My favorite words," Zangan declared as he and Tifa stood up, "Let's go eat!"

* * *

A/N: My apologies for both the long wait and the relatively short chapter(You all deserve a 20-page update for your patience!). I just couldn't make that hike work for the longest time, and then stupid real-life issues kept me from opening up this story and working on it. Rocket Town promises some new developments, including the party being completed once they leave. I'm not sure if Rocket Town will be one or two chapters, though.

I've got the fire back, so no worries!

Also, if you haven't checked out my side story "Loose Ends", do it now! It's a two-chapter short story about the wedding of Ifalna and Barnabas, plus some sweet moments between teenage Sephiroth and little Aerith. It's also complete!


	25. Chapter 4: Dragoons, Rockets and Priorit

Shout-outs:

Koudelkaerith: Wow! Thanks for all the new reviews! It's always nice to pick up a brand-new reader along the way!

JazzQueen: They're safe for now, but you know they'll have to go back to Nibelheim eventually so the Calamity can be cleansed from the planet once and for all…

Faunalind: I'm glad it's still going as well. I was losing hope I'd ever get that last chapter together…

Greatazuredragon: She can't do much so long as she's still trapped in the reactor. As far as Cid goes…well, just read this chapter and the next. ;)

BelieverofManyThings: Thanks again. Now we'll have my super-long chapter you all deserve for waiting so patiently.

* * *

Chapter 4: Dragoons, Rockets and Priorities(Oh My!)

The group had made it about three-quarters of the way to Dragoonshire(aka "Rocket Town") before the sun began to set. A campfire was quickly set up to ward off monsters, and dinner was now being prepared by Zack, Kunsel and Luxiere.

Elfé sat under a tree, polishing her sword, observing while Aerith and Tifa were exchanging techniques about thirty feet away.

"All by yourself?"

Elfé turned around to see Angeal standing only a few feet away from her.

"I've been abandoned for someone closer to her age," Elfé joked as she pointed at Aerith and Tifa, who were standing off to the side. It appeared as though Tifa was teaching Aerith how to throw a standard jab punch.

"No, no!" Angeal could hear Tifa saying, "That's a haymaker, and everyone's always inclined to throw them when they first learn to punch, but you have to get over that and…"

"She's really good," Elfé remarked as she held her katana up to the fading sunlight, satisfied with her work.

Angeal nodded in agreement.

"Think we can take her with us?" Elfé joked, "Avalanche doesn't have many strikers, given most of us 'matriculated' through ANSMA."

"You're not jealous that Aerith wants to hang out with her more?" Angeal kidded her.

Elfé laughed. "I'll get over it. I think Aerith misses her friends from back home anyway. Besides, the last time she and I hung out, it was a disaster."

"That disaster might have saved Zack's life," Angeal pointed out, "Otherwise, we would have left first thing in the morning, and would have been none-the-wiser about the fire. And, even if Genesis ended up finding Zack, they might not have found us."

Elfé stared at the ground contemplatively. "Hmm…" She then looked up again.

"Hey, that's really good!" Tifa exclaimed, "Just remember to use your other hand to block your face. Are you right or left-handed?"

"Ambidextrous," Aerith could be heard saying.

"Wow, you're lucky…!"

"That reminds me of myself and Terrato when we were kids," Zangan said fondly as he walked over to Elfé and Angeal, looking at the two girls. "Except eventually, we would break down and argue over whose style was superior- Mom's or Dad's. I hope he and I haven't instilled that same behavior in our respective students…"

"I don't know Tifa well enough," said Elfé, "But if anyone were to go on about how striking is better, Aerith would just smile and nod."

"Good to know," Zangan said, smiling, "I'd like to think Tifa would do the same. As I've said, she's an excellent student. I think she's getting a little ahead of herself by giving lessons, however."

"They're just comparing notes," Elfé explained, "Aerith just got done showing Tifa some basic holds."

Zangan stared at the two girls for a moment, and then burst out laughing. He then approached Tifa and Aerith.

"Today, my student becomes the teacher," Zangan announced playfully as the two girls stopped what they were doing. He placed a hand on each girl's shoulder. "I do look forward to seeing Terrato again after this pilgrimage is over. Life is far too short…"

Aerith and Tifa began giggling nervously, not quite sure what the old man was going on about.

"Anyway, I just came to let everyone know that beans are ready if you're hungry for dinner," Zangan announced.

"Great," Angeal said as he stood up and patted his stomach.

"I wonder what kind of beans we're having this time," Aerith groaned as she and Tifa started walking back to camp, "Every time we camp out, it's beans. Baked beans, black beans, green beans, kidney beans…"

"Yum, yum…" Tifa laughed.

"Pork and beans…" Aerith continued, "…beans and onions…"

"Oh, you mean 'tear gas'?" Tifa joked.

Zangan chuckled while Angeal and Elfé, who were walking ahead of them, simply rolled their eyes.

* * *

"Where were you?" Sephiroth asked as Aerith sat down next to him.

"Trading combat secrets with Tifa," Aerith answered as she took her spoon and began stirring the contents of her bowl, "She taught me some basic striking, and I taught her basic grappling. She really had no clue what to do if someone were to knock her down and pin her."

"Does that mean you're shooting for the title of mixed-martial artist?" Sephiroth joked as he set aside his plate, which was already empty.

"I've got enough on my plate as it is," Aerith said before digging into her meal.

Sephiroth glanced at the large serving. "No pun intended, I see," he quipped.

Aerith set her fork down on her plate long enough to lightly punch Sephiroth in the shoulder.

"Was that the wind?" Sephiroth teased.

"I'll give _you_ the wind...!"

* * *

"How's your back?" Kunsel asked as he, Zack and Luxiere walked around the campsite together.

Zack arched his back and sighed happily. "Much better now that we stocked up on more ether. Aerith heals better than anyone I've ever known. It's…hard to describe."

"Not really," Kunsel said, holding his advanced PHS, "I just got back data from Midgar. I've found out a few interesting things…"

Zack and Luxiere finally noticed the disturbed look on their friend's face, and stopped walking.

"What is it?" Luxiere asked, concerned.

"First off…" Kunsel lowered his voice so that nobody could hear, including the older trio of swordsmen, "I finally got the intel from my sources. Aerith and Sephiroth both escaped from the Shinra when they were kids…along with Aerith's mother. Sephiroth wasn't just the prototype for SOLDIER…he was part of a top-secret project. I still can't access the direct server for that myself. As for Aerith…she and her mother are the last known living Ancients."

"_Ancients?_" Zack whispered, "Seriously?"

"That could explain a lot," Luxiere whispered, "Including why Aerith heals so well, and gets 'fuzzy' if she doesn't have a ready supply of ether."

"Guys, that's not all I found out," Kunsel said, shaking his head, "Apparently…we've been declared KIA. Everyone at headquarters thinks we're all dead. We apparently didn't survive the incident in Corel."

Zack and Luxiere stared at him, not saying anything. Finally, Luxiere spoke:

"You're…messing with us, right?"

"Look at our files," Kunsel said, showing them the screen.

"Oh god…" Zack whispered as they read what was there.

"You think they told our families?" Luxiere asked as he took out his PHS, "Damn! No signal! Kunsel, gimmie your smart-phone!"

"Hang on!" Zack exclaimed as he stood between his friends, "Guys…I don't know about you, but something really stinks about…well, _everything_ that's been happening. What if they announced our deaths because they plan to shoot us down the next time they see us? We saw everything that Scarlet did, but as far as we know, she's still working there. I smell a huge cover-up. If they give our families a story about us dying in Corel, we go down as heroes, and our folks suspect nothing."

"Whatever!" Luxiere exclaimed angrily, "My grandmother can't have Shinra telling her that her only family left is dead! It'll kill her!"

"Please!" Zack scoffed, "I've met your grandmother. She's a tough old lady. I'm sure we can find a way to get word to her later…after the 'funeral'. You know all of our houses are going to be swarming with army guys helping our families get through the 'tragedy'."

The others nodded, knowing Zack was right. When a SOLDIER died, their commanding officers often attended the memorial service held in the deceased's hometown. A few people from the SOLDIER bureau would also visit with the family to settle things such as last will and testament. If they were to call now, there was a chance that a Shinra employee would likely overhear the conversation. What would that mean for their families?

"Plus, if there's a chance this really _is_ some kind of mix-up rather than a sinister plot," Kunsel added, "Our 'deaths' will buy us as much time as we need to find out more about…well…everything. Sephiroth, Genesis, Aerith, our KIA status…I don't know about you, but I need to find out more. When we get to town, I'll head over to the library and start contacting people…friends of mine that I know can keep out little secret."

"You sure you're not already an Avalanche spy?" Zack joked despite the grave situation.

"I'm _not _sure…but ask me again in a few weeks," Kunsel retorted smugly.

"Should we tell the others?" Luxiere asked.

Zack and Kunsel looked at each other, and Zack nodded.

"I guess so," Kunsel sighed, "Let's go…"

"Before you do…" Genesis spoke up, startling all three of them.

"How long have you been standing there?!" Kunsel exclaimed.

"Long enough to realize I should have told you yesterday what was going on," said Genesis, "When you found out about your 'deaths', what did it say about me?"

"You're not in the same file as us, given that you're technically not in SOLDIER yet," Kunsel answered.

"I've been working with Hollander in secret," Genesis admitted, "He's been against the Shinra for years now. We've been working together from the inside to help bring them down, just like Avalanche works from the outside. Hollander was able to use my DNA to create an imposter of me to fool the president, vice-president, Director Lazard, and any of Shinra's other top brass."

"What- like a clone?" Kunsel's tone was disbelieving, while Zack crossed his arms skeptically.

Luxiere merely shook his head.

"We're getting into some extreme experiments," Genesis told them, "The truth is…I, myself, am actually the product of an experiment that most people don't know about."

"Like Sephiroth?" Kunsel asked.

Sephiroth, having heard his name, walked over to them.

"Yes, like Sephiroth," Genesis answered, "And like Angeal. All of us were part of this experiment."

"You didn't!" Sephiroth exclaimed, alarmed, "You told _them_, of all people?!"

"They already found out about you," Genesis told him.

Sephiroth immediately summoned Masamune. "Then we can't let them out of our sight," he said coldly.

"What's going on?" Aerith demanded to know as she ran over.

Everybody else approached as well. Zangan kept Tifa aside, however, away from what was going on. Despite her new-found friendship with Aerith, Zangan did not want the 15-year-old small-town girl directly involved with Avalanche.

"Hollander and I created an alibi for my whereabouts, as well as the whereabouts of the three SOLDIERs," Genesis admitted to everyone, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you yesterday, when it happened, but I didn't want to cause any discord during this critical leg of the journey. I was going to warn them before they left, since I figured they weren't going to stick around indefinitely."

"You figured we'd just go off on our own, just the three of us watching each other's backs while the Shinra tells our families that we're dead?!" Luxiere exclaimed incredulously.

"Especially knowing how much shady dealings are happening within the company?" Zack added, "I don't know what's worse: being AWOL, or being thought of as dead."

"At least you're not being hunted down," Aerith pointed out, trying to see the positive in everything as usual, "He's buying you some time. I'm sure you can get word to your families. It might even take time for the Shinra to send word to _them_."

Zack looked torn. The idea of his mother and father being told that their only son was dead was more than he could handle right now. He imagined his mother would be crying herself to sleep every night...

"We'll just have to investigate once we get to town, like I already said," Kunsel said, defeated, "Memorials are held three days after the families are informed. If I look at the files and find out that people haven't been sent there yet…we'll try to contact them. If not…we have no choice but to let them continue to think we're dead, until the day after the memorials…when everybody involved goes back to Shinra headquarters."

"I'm sorry, guys…" Elfé said, awkwardly putting one arm around Zack's shoulder and another around Kunsel's shoulder.

Aerith nodded in agreement, hugging Luxiere, who simply stood there stiffly, saying nothing. She then glanced at Sephiroth, whose sword was still drawn. "Seph, is that really necessary?"

Sephiroth looked at Angeal, hoping for backup. His friend, however, shook his head disapprovingly.

"She's right," Angeal said, "Put that away. They're dealing with enough as it is."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Genesis," Sephiroth said disapprovingly, as he lay Masamune against a nearby tree.

Genesis watched as the group dispersed. _So do I…_he admitted silently as he walked over to his tent.

* * *

Fuhito sat at his laptop, hoping to break into the main server that held all the information he needed on Omega Weapon.

He had discovered the truth about Zirconiade, but had been frustrated to learn that it lay in pieces that had been sold to various collectors over the world for a quick gil. One such piece had been implanted in a young test subject- a survivor from a catastrophic fire that had wiped out an entire block of houses in Kalm.

Hojo had only mentioned a girl whose hand he had implanted a summon fragment into, but Fuhito had immediately put two and two together and realized that the girl was none other than Elfé. Upon further research, he discovered the true identity of his old Avalanche acquaintance: Felicia Veld- the daughter of the man in charge of the Turks.

The file said that the young girl had been dispatched and disposed of by Hojo himself. Fuhito had to admire Hojo's cleverness, using a disaster to collect human specimens and cover it up by counting them amongst the dead...ingenious. What was more, Elfé had cheated death not once, but twice...actually, three times if one took into account that the materia had been removed from her body. Now that he had learned the stats of the materia shard, he realized that the summon fragment would have indeed drained Elfé's entire life force, causing her to die a slow, torturous death. She was very fortunate, indeed.

How ironic that she ended up being adopted and trained by the leader of Avalanche...

Fuhito had no intention of alerting Hojo of her survival, knowing what a can of worms he could open up. While he needed the professor to be distracted, an in-company meltdown between the Turks and the science department was not the way to make it happen…especially if "Mister Veld" were to shoot Hojo down. No, so long as this corrupt world remained, Hojo was the one person he genuinely enjoyed conversing with. Dr. Triton had been a plain ears, nose and throat doctor. Her scientific knowledge didn't extend much beyond human anatomy and physiology. It had been no great loss after she had fired him for trying to steal what turned out to be one of the missing Zirconiade pieces.

Rounding up all of the fragments would take time, and would likely require a sabbatical. Who gave mere interns sabbaticals? He was lucky Hojo bent the rules so that he could enjoy an extra hour of his lunch break to discuss scientific theories, and the validity of such theories. Lately, they debated mako science, even though Hojo did not believe in a sentient planet. It did annoy Fuhito that Hojo would simply chuckle and dismiss Fuhito's studies of Planet Life as "youthful fancies" of someone "brainwashed" by Cosmo Canyon's "primitive religious beliefs".

He was determined to prove it to Hojo before he could enact his final plan…

…To reset the planet…reset the lifestream, and hope as his consciousness was about to be absorbed into the primordial ooze, that a new race would someday evolve…one in tune with the planet, but would not mysteriously die out as the once-magnificent Cetra race had.

All that was left was Ifalna…the last full-blooded Ancient…and his possible trump card if he needed time off to pursue his goal. If summoning Omega Weapon proved to be even more difficult and/or time consuming than summoning Zirconiade, he was certain that Ifalna and Aerith would be Hojo's main focus if they were back in the labs they had escaped from. But until he decided which summon to use, he would keep their location secret…for now. He also wondered if having the two Ancients captured would draw out Sephiroth, knowing how attached to them he seemed to be…even if he had left to join a temple in Mideel. That would be another advantage: his knowledge of Sephiroth's whereabouts.

Fuhito shook his head and sighed as another "ACCESS DENIED" message popped up on his screen. Worried that too many attempts to breach security might cause his network address to be traced by information security, he abandoned his attempt for the time being.

_Oh well_, he thought smugly. Tomorrow would be another day.

* * *

"You really think you could take Sephiroth down?" Tifa asked the next day, as the party walked down the side of the road that would eventually lead to Rocket Town.

"Oh, absolutely!" Aerith said, nodding vigorously.

"What she means," Sephiroth interjected as he walked behind the two girls, "is that she could theoretically throw someone of my size and stature. As far as myself, not a chance."

"That's not what I mean at _all_," Aerith corrected him pointedly.

Sephiroth shrugged. "It's the truth."

What makes you so sure?" Aerith challenged.

"For one, your style only works if somebody were attempting to grab or hit you," Sephiroth answered, "Why would I do either of those things?"

"To prove that I'm right," Aerith countered sweetly.

"Whatever you say…" Sephiroth said patronizingly.

Aerith looked frustrated, then subtly motioned for Tifa to clear the area. Tifa raised her eyebrow as she began walking faster, catching up with the others ahead.

"What are you up to, Aerith?" Sephiroth asked wearily.

"Nooooothing…" Aerith sang innocently.

Sephiroth sighed. "Fine…I'll give you once chance, but we're not going to stop walking and hold everybody up. If you want to throw me, you'll have to try it as we keep up with the others."

"That works," Aerith said brightly.

"I'm only doing it to keep you from provoking me," he said flatly.

"Guilty as charged," Aerith confessed.

"Here," Sephiroth grabbed her wrist, "I've got you now…what are you going to do?"

"Well, if I'm in a crowded area, scream," Aerith replied thoughtfully.

Sephiroth instantly let go.

"You _asked!_" Aerith protested, "Throwing is supposed to be the _last_ option! The first is to scream."

"I'm not going to scream if somebody attacks me," Sephiroth muttered.

"You could always call it a 'war cry," Aerith teased.

Sephiroth ignored her comment. "So is there another option if screaming doesn't work _before_ the throw?"

"I put my hands together like so…" Aerith demonstrated by lacing her fingers together, "And I move my other arm to twist out of your grasp. But that's painful for the defender. We only practice it once a week due to the surface burns they can cause."

"But it's rather foolproof if you can twist and run," Sephiroth acknowledged, "So what's the next option?"

"Well, if he grabs both arms…" Aerith began.

"Why are we assuming that the assailant is a man?" Sephiroth objected, "The last time I checked, women were just as capable of violence as men. You never see the husband hitting his wife with a frying pan or rolling pin in the cartoons. It's always the other way around. Plus, _you_ were the one punching _my_ shoulder last night."

"Fine, Mister Social-Justice-Warrior!" Aerith huffed, "Just grab both my wrists now. It's time for the last resort."

"Praise the heavens," Sephiroth droned as he limply took Aerith's wrists.

"You call that a grab?" Aerith complained, "Come on, Seph!"

Sephiroth sighed as he gripped her tightly enough without hurting her. "Now what are the steps?"

Aerith immediately spun around, wrapping Sephiroth's arms around her shoulders. Drawing Sephiroth on her back, she then quickly crouched, letting gravity send him sprawling on his back.

"Those are the steps," she gloated.

"Wow!" Tifa exclaimed, having seen the whole thing.

Everybody else turned around.

"What happened?"

"Lying down on the job, Sephiroth?"

"What's going on _now?_"

"Aerith took out Sephiroth using that…throw-jutsu technique!" Tifa announced.

"Jutsu is the Wutain word for 'technique', Tifa," Zangan corrected her, "Calling it a 'jutsu technique' is redundant. But color me impressed, Aerith! I imagined Sephiroth would do all he could to stop the throw."

"Agreed," Angeal said, "Getting slow in your old age, Sephiroth?"

"I'm only a few days older than you," Sephiroth countered as he got to his feet, "Anyway, I let her do it."

"Suuuuuuuure…" Aerith taunted him.

"You had me under the impression that you would explain as you went along, just like with the other 'steps'," Sephiroth said accusingly.

"Uh-huhhhh…" Aerith teased, rolling her eyes as she started to walk back to the others, who had also begun walking again.

Sephiroth, having had enough, reached over and effortlessly plucked her off the ground.

"Hey!" she exclaimed as she flailed helplessly, "What are you doing?!"

"You can't throw me if you're off the ground," Sephiroth taunted her, "No ground, no leverage, no throw."

Aerith began to pummel his back and kick wildly as Sephiroth began to walk while carrying her in the crook of his arm.

"So much for non-violence," he remarked.

"I don't like you very much right now!"

"That's a pity…"

"He's always been a sore loser," Angeal said to Zack, as the watched the spectacle. "Anyway…how are you guys holding up?"

Zack sighed as he looked at both Kunsel and Luxiere, who were both walking on opposite sides of the group, off in their own little worlds. "I guess we're all pretty worried."

Angeal nodded.

"But…" Zack said as he glanced back at Genesis, who was about thirty feet away from the group, "I don't think Genesis was trying to cause trouble. If we were being hunted down as deserters, the entire group might be in danger. I certainly wouldn't be comfortable traveling with that old guy and his student if that were the case. They're completely innocent in all of this…especially Tifa."

"Genesis is trying to avenge his parents," Angeal told him, "That estate in Banora that was bombed? That was his parents and their servants who were all killed. Of course, they covered it up, and even told Genesis it was a tragic misunderstanding, even though he's pretty sure that it was meant to get his attention."

"So they actually think he's on their side despite all of that?" Zack sounded skeptical.

"Genesis was adopted," Angeal explained, "He's actually the president's nephew. According to him, the president offered him his 'birthright'. My guess is, this will turn into a game of who's controlling who. So long as they don't find out his affiliation with Avalanche, he hopefully has the upper hand. As long as he's with us, nothing will go wrong, hopefully. They'll continue to think they have him right where they want him. Of course, he feels he has _them_ right where he wants them."

"There it is!" Elfé announced from the front of the group, "I can see the Shinra 26 in the distance. We'll be there in about fifteen minutes!"

"Finally…" Angeal sighed. He then looked at Zack as a serious expression crossed his face. "I'm only telling you this because you now know what it is to get caught in Shinra's web of lies."

"What about Sephiroth?" Zack asked as he watched Sephiroth finally put Aerith down.

"Just you wait, mister!" they could hear her warning him, "Once I get home, I'll figure out a move for that!"

"Our new-found common ground might just soften him up enough to stop treating you like a prisoner," Angeal said wryly. He then noticed Zack smiling. "What's so funny?"

"Ah, nothing...I just didn't realize how cute she is when she's angry," Zack sighed, "Don't mind me, I'm just torturing myself. I know she's not into me."

"This is hardly the time to be thinking about romance," Angeal chided him.

"Yes, 'sir'," Zack said jokingly. He then sighed. "You're not the first one to tell me I have lousy timing. I was on a mission with a girl who said the exact same thing when I asked her on a date...however, she still said yes. She still owes me that date."

Angeal raised an eyebrow. "And what would she think if she'd heard you calling Aerith 'cute'?"

"I don't know," Zack admitted, "She's impossible to read...and now she's going to think I'm dead as well. We were supposed to have the date once I got back to Midgar and we could co-ordinate our schedules."

"Are you worried she'll find someone new?" Angeal asked.

Zack looked troubled. "I don't know," he admitted, "It took me years to wear her down. I hope I can get out of this mess before someone else can do the same thing."

Angeal nodded sympathetically as the party finally could see the town line approaching.

* * *

"Wow..." Tifa said as she looked through Aerith's sketchbook, "These are amazing!"

She and Tifa were sitting together on a settee in the hotel room they were sharing with Elfé. The older girl was out with Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis looking for Cid, while the three SOLDIERs made a beeline for the library, which had Network access.

"Thanks," Aerith said, slightly embarrassed at the attention.

"I wish I could draw like that," Tifa said, "I can't do more than stick-figures. How did you get so good?"

"Well, one day when I was about seven, I made up my mind to start giving people real bodies when I drew them, and went from there," Aerith admitted, "That's pretty much it."

"I'm so jealous of you," Tifa said admiringly.

Just then, Aerith glanced at the door.

"What is it?" Tifa asked.

"Oh, nothing," Aerith said dismissively, "I just thought someone was going to come in. So much is going on...I hope everything turns out to be okay."

"I know," Tifa sighed, "I don't know the details, but those guys were so down in the dumps today. They spent the entire hike yesterday laughing and joking. I'm guessing something really bad must've happened."

"I can tell those three are close," said Aerith, "That's how it was these past few days since we started traveling with them...the joking around, I mean. Seeing them so sad makes _me_ sad."

"Speaking of sad things…" Tifa sighed, "Once you guys leave town, we'll have to say goodbye, won't we? It's been really cool to hang out with another girl. All of my friends back home are guys."

"Well, we could write each other," Aerith suggested, "Do you have email at home? We can email each other, or write letters."

"I don't have your address, though," said Tifa.

"No problem!" Aerith said brightly as she grabbed a pen and pad of paper from the small table in the middle of the room. She began scribbling down on the paper. "Here's my mailing address, and I'll just jot down my email for you..."

* * *

"Sorry…" the woman who had answered the door to Cid's house said , "The Captain's out collecting parts for his car. He'll probably be out all day."

"When do you expect him to return?" Sephiroth asked.

The bespectacled young woman looked troubled. "After midnight," she answered, "Then he needs to get his sleep, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't keep him for too long."

"We won't," Elfé promised, "We just needed to ask him something. He should be expecting me."

"Are you the person who wrote him from Cosmo Canyon?" the woman asked, "I'm Shera, by the way. I'm his assistant, so one of the things I do is handle his mail. He doesn't like sorting through junk mail, so I do it for him."

Elfé looked at her warily. "Did you read the letter?"

Shera shook her head. "No, I just read the return addresses on the envelope. The Captain's business is _his_ business, and we all respect that here."

Elfé relaxed slightly.

"I do have to say, though...when he read your letter, he seemed pretty excited. That is, until he got a letter for Midgar saying he had been chosen to be the Shinra 26's pilot…" She giggled. "Then, he was practically bouncing off the walls."

"Thank you, miss," Angeal said, bowing his head as the three of them turned and walked away.

"If we can get Cid to fly us up north," Elfé said as they began walking toward the hotel, "then the trip across the sea will take only about half a day. Then, we hit Bone Village to grab that treasure that'll get us through the Sleeping Forest, and we'll be in the city. I imagine that'll take us a day or so."

"He'd get back in time for the launch," Angeal said, "I suppose I don't blame him if he still wants to do that. It _is_ interstellar space, after all."

"I'd be terrified," Elfé said, shaking her head, "Up all alone with nothing but a few layers of metal keeping you from the freezing vacuum of death."

"Death is death," Sephiroth responded, "Whether it involves space, or being shot at."

"Yeah, but if he dies out there, will his soul make it back to the lifestream?" Elfé asked, "Or will it wander space indefinitely?"

Sephiroth stopped walking, as if seriously considering the question.

"Now I'll be pondering that before I go to sleep tonight," he remarked.

"…I'm sorry?" Elfé said, shrugging uncertainly.

Sephiroth let out a sigh as he continued walking back to the hotel, hanging back from the others. Elfé had no reason to be sorry. Rather, he was grateful. Pondering the nature of the lifestream was better than allowing Aerith to creep into his mind at night...

* * *

Zack couldn't stand around and wait while Kunsel sat at the library and tried to hack into the army's secure server, nor did he want to draw any attention to his friend with him and Luxiere looking over his shoulder. He left the library and began wandering around town, but stayed clear of the rocket, which was swarming with Shinra personnel, and none of whom were people he knew, let alone trusted.

A large sign with a picture of a foaming mug of beer caught his eye, and he decided to step inside what was clearly a pub. Hopefully, a beer might be just what he needed to calm down.

As he entered the dark, smoke-filled establishment, he wondered if the pilot they were looking for might be here. From what Elfé had described about him, a garage or a bar would be the kind of place he'd be right at home in. He began looking around, knowing what the man looked like from the Shinra employee records that Kunsel had accessed while they had stayed in Nibelheim.

Zack then noticed a figure seated at the bar wearing a familiar black suit. Alarmed at first, he moved to leave. However, he then noticed the wavy red hair and relaxed.

Cissnei was slumped over a drink, not looking drunk, so much as she seemed depressed. Her head leaning against one hand while the other hand absently stirred her margarita with the tiny straw. She then heaved a large sigh before picking up her glass. Ignoring the straw now, she proceeded to chug the drink. Setting the glass down, she turned to leave, only to find herself looking up at Zack's mako eyes and rakish grin.

"Hey, Cissnei!" Zack greeted the Turk happily, "Why so glum? You miss me that much?"

Cissnei's eyes popped open in utter shock as she stared at him.

"How…?!" she exclaimed, leaning away as if he were indeed a ghost.

"They told you I was dead, right?" Zack chuckled, "Well, surprise!"

"How are you alive when I was the one who delivered what I was told were your _ashes_, to your parents?" Cissnei asked very slowly, barely able to keep a grip on her normally calm demeanor.

Zack's face fell. "My ashes?" he moaned, "Oh god, my parents already know?!"

He sat down, burying his head in his hands. If there was any hope that he could spare his parents the torment of thinking he was dead, it was gone now.

"Your mother cried…no…_wailed _on my shoulder, for a good five minutes until your father was able to pry her off," Cissnei told him, suddenly starting to look angry. "Genesis Rhapsodos returned from the incident in Corel, after alerting SOLDIER to the location of three dead bodies: you, Kunsel Semenec, and Luxiere Forrest. The bodies were retrieved and cremated in adherence to protocol. I…" she looked away. "…volunteered to bring your ashes home. But apparently, they're not your ashes. I'll admit, I never did see the bodies, but I was told they had been positively identified as you and your subordinates."

Zack sat up straight and glanced at Cissnei. "Why did you agree to bring my 'ashes' home?" he asked.

The Turk looked away, not wanting Zack to see the flustered expression on her face. "I should be the one asking questions," she covered, "What the hell is going on, Zack? It's as if you knew all along that you were declared dead. You were only surprised that your parents already knew."

"I'd hoped that delivering the news might get tied up for a bit," Zack admitted, "Red tape, bureaucracies and what-not."

"Answer my question, Zack," Cissnei said pointedly, "What's going on?"

"Corel," he sighed, "It all started with Corel." He then looked at her. "What have they told you about what happened there?"

"There was an attempt made on Scarlet's life," Cissnei answered, "A gunfight ensued, as well as a fire. You and your friends were all shot down. Genesis brought your bodies back."

"No," Zack said, shaking his head, "There _was_ an attempt on Scarlet's life, but the gunfight was one-sided. The assassins ran, and were dispatched pretty quickly. But Scarlet kept on shooting innocent people…she was completely unhinged."

"That would explain the administrative leave," Cissnei mused, "Frey and I simply thought it was so she could recover from the trauma of being shot at. You and I are used to it, but not everyone can shrug it off so easily."

Zack nodded. "Yeah, well, she wasn't too shaken up about it. You've never worked with her?"

Cissnei shook her head.

"Neither did I until that assignment," Zack went on, "So she's probably being disciplined. God, why do they keep those psychos instead of putting them in the looney bin where they belong?"

"Too many company secrets that they can't risk being leaked," Cissnei answered, "Why did they announce you were dead? How did you get away?"

"I…can't say that, Cissnei," Zack said painfully, "I'm sorry. That kind of info might get you in over your head. I'll just say this: we're on opposite sides now. The next time we meet, we might have to…" he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"I see," was all Cissnei said.

"And here I thought that the next time we met, I could finally take you out to dinner," Zack laughed sadly, "Let me at least buy you another drink..." He waved the bartender down, pointing at Cissnei's empty margarita and signaling for one more.

A slight smirk appeared on Cissnei's face. "Still the same old Zack, I see..." she said.

"Just when I think I've seen how rotten the Shinra actually are…" Zack said as he slumped forward, thinking about his commanding officer stealing booze, "…I find out how much deeper the lies and bullshit run…" he trailed off and then looked at Cissnei questioningly.

"I really don't know what's going on," she answered, as if reading his thoughts.

Zack nodded. "I believe you," he said. "Ciss…we've known each other for three years now, give or take."

It was three years and five months to be exact, but Cissnei merely nodded.

"I know you've got my back today…" Zack continued, looking at her hopefully.

Cissnei nodded again. "I never saw you," she said, "I went alone when I saw your parents, and I'm just coming through here before the launch happens tomorrow. Freyra's coming in the morning, though, along with Mister Veld. So you might want to leave tonight."

Zack then did a double-take. "Wait- what do you mean the launch is happening tomorrow?!" he exclaimed, alarmed now. "I thought it wasn't for a couple more weeks!"

"They moved it up to tomorrow afternoon," Cissnei answered simply, "Cid Highwind goes up into space tomorrow. One of his people protested against it, saying something about the oxygen tanks, but Palmer assured everyone that the rocket was up to standards."

"Shit!" Zack exclaimed as he stood up and quickly backed away, "I gotta go! Thanks for the heads-up!"

He ran out of the bar, nearly knocking over a few patrons.

"Nice 'not' seeing you too," Cissnei remarked before ordering a plain glass of ice water.

What had that SOLDIER gotten himself into now, that he was officially declared dead, despite having just stood right before her?

_Best to keep your eyes forward and your nose clean…_

…Was it, though…?

* * *

"Guys!" Zack exclaimed as he burst into the large room that the men were sharing together, "The launch is _tomorrow afternoon!_ We have to talk to that Cid guy _the minute he gets back!_"

Everyone stared at each other, trying to comprehend the sudden turn of events.

"He'll be surrounded by Shinra personnel," Genesis said, as he lay in his bed.

Sephiroth nodded in agreement.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Zack asked desperately.

"Nothing we _can_ do," Angeal answered, "We'll have to move to Plan B. He may be too much of a celebrity when the rocket lands again, so we can forget about getting him on our side."

"Once the crowd disperses after the launch, we'll get ready to leave," Sephiroth added.

Angeal stood up. "I'll let the girls know," he said as he went over to the door and opened it, walking outside and shutting it behind him.

"Bad news, Zack," Kunsel started to say.

"Yeah, I know," Zack said as he sat down on one of the beds, "I ran into Cissnei, and she was the one who told my parents. She said they informed your folks as well. She's also the one who told me about the launch moving up."

"Who's Cissnei?" Sephiroth asked.

"Zack's friend in the Turks," Kunsel answered.

Sephiroth stiffened.

"Don't worry," Zack said, "She won't say anything. Not everyone who works for the Shinra runs and tells the people in charge everything. You should know that by now."

"I do…" Sephiroth said, remembering Wolff.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Zack asked Genesis.

"I appreciate the concern, but I'm not critical," the redhead answered, "I'll have to deal with feeling like crap for a few more weeks. Aerith said it would be months yet, maybe even years before my condition would get really bad. We'll get to the abandoned city much sooner than that. The only drawback is being stuck on a boat together for what'll probably be a good week."

"True," Sephiroth agreed. He then looked at Genesis while speaking to Zack: "The sickness may not kill him, but one of us just might…especially if he starts reciting 'Loveless' again, which he often does when he's bored or stressed."

Genesis opened his mouth to speak.

"Say anything from that damned book and I'll incinerate your copy of it right now," Sephiroth immediately cut in.

"Destroying the property of an invalid…" Genesis scolded him, "What would Aerith say about that?"

"Even Aerith would eventually tire of your obsession," Sephiroth curtly informed his friend, "She simply wouldn't have the heart to tell you to stop. Rather, she'll start changing the subject."

"Is Aerith your girlfriend?" Zack asked as he walked over to a small table where Kunsel and Luxiere sat, playing cards.

"Yeah, I kinda wondered that too," said Luxiere, "You talk to her even more than your two 'bros'."

"No," Sephiroth stated flatly.

"But you'd like her to be…" Genesis teased.

"We'll drop the subject, thank you." Sephiroth's tone held an icy warning.

Genesis, who was out of Sephiroth's line of vision, waved his hand and shook his head, silently warning the others to let the topic drop. However, he continued to look thoughtfully at his old friend.

* * *

"Damn it…" Elfé said, clearly disappointed, "The timing couldn't be worse…"

Tifa had stepped out of the room, knowing that some things were not meant for her to hear. Aerith sat on her bed, having listened quietly to the bad news that Angeal had just delivered.

"Sometimes people get swayed by temptation," said Angeal, "Money and fame are powerful motivators."

"It wasn't the money, and it wasn't the fame!" Elfé argued, "He's not that kind of guy. I'd never recruit anybody driven by such shallow ambitions. He wanted the adventure…the excitement of going where no human has gone before. That's just one example of the kind of spirit I look for when I recruit people into the resistance. Usually, it works out fine, but this is the second time it hasn't…" she then trailed off, suddenly aware of what she said.

"The second time?" Angeal asked.

Elfé's expression hardened. "Never mind. It's not important."

Aerith glanced at the older girl, recalling Elfé having that same look when they had been at the Gold Saucer's arcade, the night that Aerith had gotten drunk. She kept silent, however, laying down and hugging her old stuffed moogle, whose bright pink pom-pom had faded over the years.

"Will Genesis be able to hold out long enough for us to take the long way there?" Elfé finally asked, having recovered her cool disposition.

"He'd have to have no treatment whatsoever for a few months at least, before he ends up in any danger," Aerith answered, "But it's going to be rough on him…"

"Meaning he'll be an even bigger pain-in-the-ass than he normally is," Elfé muttered.

"I'll try to keep him as comfortable as I can," Aerith offered.

"You'll wear yourself out by the time we get to our destination," Elfé warned her, "Don't spread yourself so thin, Aerith. It's not healthy."

Aerith lay back and rolled her eyes. Her mother often told her the same thing when she would see Aerith painting or drawing well after midnight on a non-school night. Between school, ANSMA, her art, her flower garden, and her friends, Ifalna often worried that Aerith was trying to do too much. However, Aerith never seemed to get tired out; something that her family and friends didn't seem to understand.

"Well, I guess that's it," Angeal said, "I guess I'll go, now."

"Wait a second…" Elfé said, holding up her hand.

"Hmm?" Angeal looked at her, while Aerith sat up curiously.

"Maybe we've still got a chance," said Elfé, "Here's why…"

* * *

"Heidegger seemed to be taking an extreme interest in Cid," Genesis said as everyone sat on the floor, playing cards. "He wants to see more airplanes built- enough to match the over half-dozen helicopters for now, but he wants a whole arsenal of aircrafts built. He wants guns attached to the wings of the planes, and to the sides of the helicopters. He wants to see an entire army of SOLDIER flying these aircrafts, saying it would be a whole new branch of the military, which he called the 'air force'."

"When did you meet Heidegger?" Zack asked.

"The day before I met you, I was invited to an executive dinner party," Genesis explained. He then began to chuckle. "What a joke. You can tell that most of the people involved hate each other, but keep up appearances. Since I was there, well…it was like watching a couple on the verge of divorce, who put on an act for company."

"Really?" Zack leaned forward curiously.

"There was one guy there who was actually all right," said Genesis, "Reeve Tuesti, the head of Urban Development. He actually seems to care about what happens to the people of Midgar, and not just the people living on the Plate. But no one ever seems to listen to him…I listened, though. And it's a shame no one takes him seriously, because I think he could do the most good. You know, he was the only one at that event who took the time to ask how I was feeling…and I wasn't really feeling too well that night." Genesis then smiled sardonically. "I'm better now, before you get all concerned for me."

Zack couldn't help but laugh lightly.

The door opened, and Angeal walked back inside.

"So what now?" Sephiroth asked.

"We wait for Cid to return, and we get him the minute he gets back to his house," Angeal said, "He's been training people to fly since he was fifteen. There's a possibility he might let one of his pilots borrow the plane while he's up in space. If my ultimate dream were coming true, I'd probably be feeling very generous. Elfé hopes that he'll be feeling the same way. In the meantime, we've got the whole day to ourselves. The girls already went to explore the town."

"I'll rest here for now," Genesis said, as he lay on his bed reading a book.

"Good idea," Sephiroth said, "If the launch is tomorrow, Shinra personnel may be arriving in town at any time."

"Should Aerith be wandering around town, then?" Zack asked.

"She'll be all right," Sephiroth said, "She doesn't exactly stand out like I do. Speaking of which, I suppose I'll have to dye my hair yet again…"

He sighed, clearly not looking forward to it.

"I suppose I should stay in, as well," Angeal said.

"All of us," Zack exhaled wearily, "Fun, fun…"

* * *

Aerith smiled happily as she punched several numbers into her brand-new PHS. She, Tifa and Elfé had just arrived at the Rocket Town "Burger &amp; Beer Barn" after buying the phone over at the electronics store.

"And finally…Tifa's number," Aerith said, holding up a piece of paper. Everyone had written their numbers on it, knowing that she planned to finally get her own phone once they reached town.

"I'm sure we can figure out how to call each other without racking up too high a bill," Tifa said hopefully.

"You make friends with people so easily, it scares me sometimes," Elfé said, taking a sip of hard cider. She then held the bottle out to Aerith. "Want some?" she teased.

"Not funny…" Aerith sulked.

"Huh?" Tifa was confused.

"Long story," Elfé said, waving dismissively.

"Hey, no kids at the bar!" the bartender barked at Aerith and Tifa, "These seats are for people who're drinking!"

"Let's go find some menus," Aerith suggested as she and Tifa stood up and left the counter.

"I'll come find you once I'm finished here," Elfé said as she held up her half-empty bottle. She then glared at the bartender. At least now, she had an excuse not to waste money tipping the rude man.

Aerith and Tifa grabbed three menus near the entrance, before making their way over to the booths and sitting down. As soon as they did, a waitress appeared, pouring them two glasses of water.

"Heyyy!"

The girls turned around and saw two slightly older-looking young women waving at them. Aerith and Tifa each exchanged a look, as if asking the other if she knew them.

"Nope, she doesn't remember us," the girl with the strange hairstyle announce to her friend.

"Well, she _was_ pretty hammered that night," said the blonde girl.

"Oh…!" Aerith exclaimed, recognizing the two college girls that she had gotten drunk with at the Gold Saucer. She then slid down in her seat in embarrassment before looking back up at the two older girls. "Please tell me I didn't throw up on either of you…"

"No, you held it in very nicely!" the crazy-haired girl praised her, "I've never seen that happen to a newbie."

"Where's the mother hen?" the blonde girl asked, "Not gonna snatch you up again?"

"Mother hen?" Tifa was confused.

"She means Elfé," Aerith clarified.

"Come sit with us!" the blonde girl coaxed, "Once we're done eating, we can hit the bar!"

"No bar…" Aerith said firmly as she and Tifa grabbed their waters and got up from their table. They went over and sat down with the other girls. "I was hung over the entire next day afterward."

"I remember my first hangover…" the crazy-haired girl said wistfully.

"No drinks tonight," Aerith said firmly.

"So you got drunk, huh?" Tifa giggled, "This sounds like a fun story..."

"No it doesn't..." Aerith sulked, already regretting having moved tables.

"So!" the blonde girl exclaimed, "Now we can finish our heart-to-heart!"

"Huh?" Aerith looked at the two girls, confused.

"You were telling us about the 'silver-haired dream-bucket' of a bodyguard you were traveling with!" the blonde girl prompted her.

"And then, Mama Hen came swooping down and we never heard the rest," said the crazy-haired girl.

"Oh- you've met Sephiroth?" Tifa asked.

"No, we're only going by her story," the blonde girl said, pointing at Aerith, who was sipping her water. "And her exact words were: 'I've got the best bodyguard in the whole wide world, 'cause he's my silver-haired dream-bucket!'."

Aerith immediately choked on her water, while Tifa burst out laughing hysterically.

"She _did_ show us a drawing of him," said the blonde girl. She then looked at Tifa. "So you've seen the guy too, I take it?"

"He's very handsome," Tifa agreed.

"That's an understatement-and-a-half!" the crazy-haired girl exclaimed, "_That_ guy's one-in-a-million if the drawing is at all accurate!"

"Oh, it's accurate," Tifa said, "She can draw anything."

"Not the Cosmo Candle...!" Aerith sputtered, hoping she could change the subject.

"You _have_ to get his attention!" the blonde girl urged Aerith, who was still coughing.

"So?" the crazy-haired girl prompted, "Did you make a move or not?"

Aerith groaned, her face red from both coughing and embarrassment.

"Dish!" the blonde ordered, pointing straight at her.

"Dish!" the crazy-haired girl echoed.

"Dish!" Tifa giggled.

"Dish! Dish! Dish!" the three of them chanted, much to the other patrons' annoyance.

"Lovely. I might've known…" Elfé said as she approached the table, glaring at the two older girls.

"Noooooo!" the blonde girl exclaimed, "It's Mama Hen! Watch out for her claws!"

Elfé deeply regretted the restaurant's weapons-check policy, wishing she could draw her katana, if only to scare the two bimbos away.

"I'm starting to think take-out subs might be a better choice for dinner," Elfé said, "Come on, you two."

"Boooo!" the crazy-haired girl jeered as Aerith and Tifa stood up and followed Elfé, "Mama Hen needs a rooster so she'll loosen up!"

Elfé continued walking toward the door, muttering something about two loud crows needing to be shot.

* * *

"I could hear those girls screeching from a mile away," Elfé said as she, Aerith and Tifa walked down the street to the sandwich shop, "What are they doing? Bar-hopping across the continent?"

"It _is_ summer vacation," Tifa reminded her, "College kids do that all the time, and Rocket Town's got a pretty active night-life from what I've heard. I actually make extra money cleaning up the tavern back home every morning, since students love to pass through town on their way to all the hot spots."

"They're like vultures," Elfé said, shaking her head in wonder.

"Enough with the bird metaphors!" Aerith complained.

"So…no dish?" Tifa teased.

"I don't remember anything that happened after the third drink," Aerith groaned, shaking her head.

"That's okay, kiddo," Elfé said, patting Aerith's head patronizingly, "I remember enough for the both of us."

"Silver-haired dream-bucket…" Tifa giggled.

"S-shut up!" Aerith stammered.

"Tifa!" Zangan approached the girls. "There you are! Have you forgotten what time it is?"

Tifa checked her watch, and her eyes widened in alarm. "I'm so sorry, Master Zangan!" she exclaimed, bowing deeply.

Zangan chuckled. "Keep your eyes on the prize, Tifa. There's always time for other things once you're done with your priorities."

"Drill time," Tifa announced apologetically, "See ya."

Elfé and Aerith waved as they watched the two leave.

"I can always wait until she gets back for dinner," Aerith said.

Elfé shrugged. "Yeah, why not? That hard cider filled me up more than I figured. Let's go back to the hotel."

Aerith nodded as the two began walking back. As soon as they walked inside the room that they were sharing with Tifa(which Zangan had allowed), Aerith sat down on her bed and reached for her travel pack, pulling out her sketch book.

"On second thought," Elfé said, looking at the single bar on her PHS screen, "Maybe I'll go outside and call Master Terrato. I should find out what's going on at headquarters."

"Okay," Aerith said, not looking up from her new drawing.

"Aerith?"

The demi-Cetra looked up.

"Zangan is right, you know," Elfé said, "About priorities."

"Sure, I know that," Aerith said good-naturedly.

Elfé raised an eyebrow. "Do you? I could hear what those girls said all the way from the bar."

Aerith's smile abruptly died. She fell silent, looking away.

"Keep your head in the game right now," Elfé advised her, "You've got a very long time to figure out…other things…after you heal Genesis."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Aerith said stubbornly.

"Oh. Ok," Elfé said, obviously not buying it. She turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

"Turn that goddamned noise off before I break a fucking window!" Cid Highwind snapped as he rode in the passenger seat of his mechanic's car.

"My car, my rules, Captain," the mechanic said glibly.

"My accountants, your paychecks," Cid retorted as took a deep drag off of his cigarette, "Find something better to listen to."

The young mechanic sighed and changed the radio from the rock station that was playing. He kept turning the dial until a lively jazz station popped up.

"Oh- there we go." Cid stopped him. "Oh yeah, now _that's_ real music…" He lay back, crossing his arms behind his head.

"I can't believe this is happening, Captain," the mechanic said excitedly, unable to help his enthusiasm. "Tomorrow, you'll be the first man in space! Fifty years from now, I'll be able to tell my grandchildren I drove Cid Highwind around when his own car would crap out on him."

"My car'll be just fine once this finally goes into the engine," Cid said, holding up a part. "Anyway, I'm glad you're excited. It's nice to know _some_ of my co-workers are happy for me, knowing I'll be going up sooner than I thought."

"You talking about Shera, Captain?"

Cid nodded, annoyed. Rather than be excited like everyone else was, Shera had immediately called him and begun to fret, saying that she hadn't had the chance to finish examining the oxygen tanks yet.

"That's what you get for being so damned slow!" he had told her, "Finish checking them tonight! We're launching at noon so hurry it up!"

That had been an hour ago. Now, he was on his way home. He would be arriving back home well after midnight, but he would still be able to get plenty of sleep before the big launch.

Hell, he thought, why did he need to wait before getting home? Cid tossed the cigarette butt out the window. He then loosened his seatbelt a little, and slid down, pulling his goggles over his eyes before closing them. However, his eyes shot back open the second he heard his mechanic try to change the station again.

"Eh-heh-heh…" the young man laughed nervously as he kept driving.

* * *

Aerith struck a match, lighting the candle that sat on the window sill of the hotel room. She then placed a protective glass around it, shielding the flame from any wind that might blow through the open window.

Elfé had gone to buy those submarine sandwiches they had planned for dinner, and was due back in a few minutes.

"What are you doing that for?" Tifa asked as she stretched out on her bed.

"Cosmo Canyon tradition," Aerith answered, "To light the way on our journey. My mother lights an identical candle every night at home as well. Sort of a prayer for safety, and it symbolizes that I'm still with my family. They're still with me too."

"You miss them?" Tifa asked.

Aerith nodded. "I haven't been out of Cosmo Canyon since I was five, except for a trip to the Gold Saucer with my classmates. This is the longest that I've been away from home. I only spent two days at the Gold Saucer, and the trip there and back was two more days. I've been away from home for more than a week, now. I'm just glad I had Sephiroth and Elfé with me when I first left. I've known them both for most of my life."

"You and Sephiroth seem really familiar with each other," Tifa remarked.

"I've known him since I was three weeks old," Aerith confessed as she went over to her bed and flopped onto her stomach. "My earliest memory was of him reading me a story. I was probably about two." She smiled at the recollection. "He always read to me. I used to love sitting in his lap and listening to every word he said."

"How did you meet?" Tifa asked as she rolled over onto her elbow, propping her head up against her hand.

"I can't really go into the details," Aerith sighed, "But…we both spent our early years in a very toxic environment. My father was killed the day before Sephiroth entered my life, and-,"

"But I thought you said your dad was one of the teachers at your martial arts school," Tifa interrupted.

"Technically, that's my stepfather," Aerith explained, "And he adopted me when he married my mother. He's the only father I've ever really known. My biological father…was murdered when I was only twenty days old. After that, my mother and I lived…someplace really rotten. Sephiroth was stuck there with us. He became close with my mom, and even though he never actually says it, I think he sees her as the mother he never had.

"When I was five, he was able to get the three of us out of that horrible place. We wound up living in Cosmo Canyon, where my mom met and married my daddy. Well…the last twelve years made up for the first five years of being treated like I was subhuman."

Tifa looked down at her pillow. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Aerith said, her tone instantly cheerful again. "If nothing else, I always had my mother and Seph looking out for me during the bad times. And the good times gave me my daddy, and my brothers and sister."

"You mentioned having younger siblings," Tifa recalled, "I didn't know they were half-siblings."

Aerith rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah, but I never called them 'half-siblings', even though we only have the same mother. They're just…siblings."

Tifa nodded. "I wish I had siblings," she said wistfully, "Like maybe a big brother who could watch over me."

"That's what Seph was when I was little," said Aerith, "He'd always try to protect me from anyone who tried to hurt me."

"Why are there so many sick people who would actually hurt a little kid?" Tifa asked in disgust.

"It's funny," Aerith said, looking contemplative, "but I'm only now starting to think about that. Talk about lousy timing, huh? I can't be thinking about that kind of dark stuff."

"I used to think the same thing right after my mom died," said Tifa, "Like, 'I can't dwell on it now- I need to be strong for Papa!' or 'My friends are worried about me enough as it is!'. Eventually, though, it caught up with me. I got so depressed, that in my desperation to see her again, I followed an old myth about being able to see the dead on the mountains. Well, that didn't work out so well. I had a pretty bad fall and nearly wound up getting my wish…permanently."

"And then you became afraid of the mountains." Aerith recalled what Tifa had said the day before.

Tifa nodded. "Those negative feelings can really mess with a person."

"I'll sort my feelings out eventually," Aerith sighed, "But now's a really bad time."

The door opened, and Elfé walked in carrying a box containing three foot-long sub sandwiches and three cans of soda.

"Dig in, girls," Elfé said as she set the box down on the coffee table in the corner of the room.

Aerith and Tifa instantly got up and hurried over to the table, where they began looking to see which sandwich was theirs.

* * *

Sephiroth had always prided himself on the self-control he had. Part of the reason he had left for the Gaian temple at the age of thirteen was that he had felt his control slipping. However, once he learned about things like addressing one's past, and passive meditation(meditating while engaging in other activities, such as walking, eating, or even sparring), he felt his sense of control returning. Thus, he had spent the next twelve years with a feeling of absolute serenity(save for when Genesis would goad him into an argument).

However, as leaned against the bathroom mirror around one in the morning, listening to the toilet flushing away a biology-infested wad of toilet paper, he let out a small groan. Finally, he turned on the faucet and began to wash his hands, not wanting to look at himself in the mirror.

Aerith getting all riled up when he had picked her up and carried her had gotten _him_ riled up as well, albeit in a different way. Her struggling only made it worse. The meditative exercises he had honed for the past twelve years were the only things keeping any evidence of his arousal from emerging at the time. Everybody remained unaware of the struggle in Sephiroth's head(the both of them).

Even as a teenager, he had never been reduced to this…at least not every other night like he had been since leaving Cosmo Canyon with Aerith, Angeal and Elfé. Even though he would spend most of his free time in Mideel proper, where many beautiful girls came to vacation, he had never felt the urge to sneak off and "relieve" himself like he did now. The few times that he did, he never even had a specific feminine face in mind- just a vague, abstract idea of the perfect woman.

Aerith's face was now what popped into his mind every time he sat down to vent his sexual frustrations, no matter how many times he tried to will the image away.

Passive meditation was what had kept him sane throughout the journey. He had known that this adventure would be a drastic departure from the stable life he'd led at the temple, but he had underestimated a lot. He had expected a chaotic schedule, and knew that an attraction toward Aerith was growing where it shouldn't be.

However, he had not expected to be forced to co-operate with Shinra defectors, who he still had trouble trusting completely. Strangers were joining them every few days, and soon, one more would be coming along.

At least Zangan and Tifa would be continuing with their training journey, and they would be parting ways. Knowing what had happened to Tifa in Aerith's dream only put more worry and stress on his own mind. Zangan's student would be all right once she went her own way...wouldn't she...?

When he wasn't having lurid dreams about Aerith, he had nightmares of the Shinra snatching him, Angeal, Genesis, Aerith, and her family away and subjecting them to all kinds of torture.

He had also not expected that foreboding feeling to return...the one he had felt as he sat under a tree twelve years ago. The day he wept hopelessly, knowing that he had attacked each of the only two adults who would treat him kindly. Thank Gaia Aerith had been able to help him immediately when he had passed the Shinra mansion...only to repay her by indulging in sick fantasies of her every night.

Sephiroth then dried his hands on a towel and left the bathroom, heading back to bed. Thankfully, both Genesis and Angeal seemed to be fast asleep. The three renegade SOLDIERs were able to get a separate room for themselves after a last-minute cancellation. Sephiroth was thankful for that bit of good fortune, despite his slight doubts concerning that trio. He wasn't sure if all of them would be asleep at the same time, and the last thing he needed was for someone to notice how long he had been in the bathroom.

He looked forward to when Cid would return from his trip, and he could focus on the mission once again. It would at least occupy his mind with something more productive…

However, somewhere deep down, he wasn't fooled. Eventually, he knew something had to give...

* * *

Cid was practically bouncing with every step as he strode over to his house. To his surprise, however, somebody was waiting for him on his front steps.

"Hello, Cid," Elfé said as she stood up and smiled.

"Oh…right," Cid said, looking a bit embarrassed as he realized what was going on. He put his cigarette out and tossed it into a nearby bucket. "Look, uh…"

"Could you spare your plane or airship along with one of your other pilots?" Elfé asked, getting straight to the point, "Since you're obviously busy tomorrow?"

Cid's eyes widened in shock, and he quickly shook his head. "No chance in hell," he said, "My babies don't fly unless I'm at least there."

"You're sure you don't want to reconsider?" Elfé asked.

"Look, I'm sorry this launch had to interfere with the plans we made," Cid told her, "But this is the number one priority. I'll only be in space for one day. That's as much oxygen as my ship'll hold. Once I'm down, and the smoke clears, both literally and figuratively, I can take you wherever the hell you wanna go."

"The Northern Continent?" Elfé asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Cid promised her, "I'm a man of my word. I won't leave you guys hanging. But why there?"

"One of our friends is really sick," Elfé told him, "We were told that there might be a cure up north."

"What- like some mystic shaman that can cure anything with moldy bread?" Cid joked.

Elfé shook her head. "It's complicated. We just need you to drop us off on the shore. You don't even need to bring us back."

"Well, all right," Cid told her, "A couple days after I get back, meet me here. If I'm not around, ask Shera to let you in. I'll tell her about you guys so she knows who you are. That sound good?"

Elfé nodded. "Yes. But won't it be hard for you to get away with all the press you'll be getting?"

Cid grinned confidently. "Don't worry about it. I'm real good at sneaking around. I used to skip school all the time when I was a kid."

"All right, then," Elfé said, satisfied.

"Great!" Cid exclaimed, still grinning. He opened the door to his house and was about to enter.

"Cid!" Elfé called out.

Cid turned around and looked at the swordswoman.

"Congratulations," Elfé said sincerely, "And we all wish you the best of luck. Even though it's the other side paying for it…"

"Space is space," Cid informed her, "Nobody owns it. Just remember that."

He turned back around and went inside, closing the door behind him.

Relieved that everything seemed to be going all right, Elfé let out a sigh and turned to go back to the hotel, so she could finally get some sleep.

* * *

A/N: I wanted the friendship between Zack and Angeal to still occur in this altered timeline. What started off as a simple exchange of words ended up turning into a heart-to-heart of sorts, and I realized it just wouldn't be the same if Angeal didn't have his "puppy" to scratch behind the ears every once in a while.

Next chapter: Some things just can't be avoided, even in an alternate timeline...


	26. Chapter 5: Blast-Off?

Shout-outs:

Miria: Is this soon enough? ;)

Greatazuredragon: Genesis has a lot on his plate as it is. Time is their best matchmaker…just be patient. ;)

Koudelkaerith: No problem! And hey- the puppy needs _someone_ to keep him under control…

Faunalind: As far as Hollander's concerned, it's all collateral damage. Aside from Aerith's father, Lucrecia, and _possibly_ Professor Rayleigh from "Before Crisis"(we don't really learn too much about her), the scientists working for Shinra are total psychopaths.

Barleyguy: Thanks for reviewing! I know the love stories are rather slow, but I need a realistic buildup. Those two are handling their feelings in a way where eventually, they won't be able to avoid them any longer, and the dam will explode. Perhaps with the other pairings, things will develop differently. I feel bad for the Cloud/Tifa fans, as they're the ones who will have to wait the longest. Those two haven't even been reunited, yet.

This is likely going to be a super-long trilogy. While not as extensive as the old (and sadly unfinished) Frank Verderosa internet series, pairings might not be so instantaneous.

JazzQueen: Aerith was never the type to worry about remote possibilities. I think she'd be rather scared if she knew what Fuhito knows, however.

BelieverofManyThings: Thanks. We're getting to an important turning point in the story. Let's just say things won't start to heat up until our heroes cross the sea.

* * *

Chapter 5: Blast-Off…?

Zack awoke the next morning to the sound of his PHS chiming, signifying that he had a text message. Groaning softly, he reached for the nightstand, feeling around for his phone without bothering to open his eyes. All the while, his head never left the pillow. Finally grabbing the device, he opened his eyes, blinking a few times while he waited for his vision to focus.

_Text Message From: UNKNOWN SENDER_

"Huh…" Zack murmured as he opened the message.

_Re: yesterday, another change of plans. I'd get out of town. More Turks arriving than expected. Palmer arriving, afraid of attempt on life like Scarlet, wants extra security, including SOLDIER and troopers. Everyone arriving in one hour. Stay safe. –C_

"Shit!" Zack hissed as he jumped out of bed. "Wake up, you two!" he said loudly as he opened the drawer underneath the nightstand.

Kunsel and Luxiere grumbled and stirred as Zack grabbed his clothes and hurriedly pulled them on.

"Seriously- get dressed!" Zack exclaimed, "Cissnei just sent us all a heads-up. Palmer's all paranoid that someone might try to shoot him, so he's got extra security, including SOLDIER. We've gotta get the hell out of town before someone sees us."

"Aw, hell…" Kunsel grumbled as he and Luxiere got out of bed and began dressing as well.

* * *

"I was really looking forward to seeing the launch," Aerith said, pouting as the party made their way down a beaten path outside of the town limits.

"No worries," Kunsel reassured her, "See that grove of trees up ahead? We can stop there. The three of us camped out in that same spot two years ago, back when we were all just promoted to 2nd Class. If you climb one of the trees, you can see the town just fine from there. We could even see the rocket when they were just starting to build it."

"I didn't even get to say goodbye to Tifa," Aerith sighed. She had awoken to see a note from Tifa stating that she had left for a pre-sunrise run with Zangan. A minute later, Zack had knocked on her door and informed her and Elfé about Cissnei's warning, leaving her two minutes to scribble a goodbye note/apology.

"Oh, gawd, Tifa, you're my new bestest friend in the whole world!" Luxiere shrieked in a high-pitched voice.

"Imma miss you so much, Aerith!" Zack shrieked back as he and Luxiere flung their arms around each other and pretended to sob.

"I want to hit them," Aerith said flatly to Sephiroth, "I _really_ want to hit them."

"Two days, we're supposed to spend out here?" Genesis asked, looking around, "What if 'Dear Uncle' decides to take Highwind on a world publicity tour to commemorate the big Shinra victory?"

"Then, we may have to stage a 'kidnapping'," Elfé admitted frankly, "Trust me, Cid will probably thank us. The man just wants to go into space. He couldn't care less about the public relations side. It makes him a much more suitable double-agent for us."

"And who'd know more about double-agents than us?" Aerith giggled.

"I didn't know Avalanche was so resourceful," Kunsel kidded.

"They're not," Elfé acknowledged, "We're operating independently of Avalanche. I guess I can say it because telling you won't put the real Avalanche in danger. I'm technically the only legitimate member."

"It's because they don't want me dirtying up the organization," Genesis said dryly, "Rufus already tried to infiltrate."

"And we still don't know why," Elfé said, "Maybe he was trying to get us all caught, or maybe he had his own agenda."

"My daddy says that the Wutain Shinra refugees talk about how scary that guy is," said Aerith, "They say no one's ever seen him cry or bleed."

"That's a weird way to phrase it," Zack remarked, scowling.

"It's an old Wutain phrase that was lost in translation," Sephiroth explained.

"So if you're not Avalanche after all," Luxiere said, "Then what are you? You guys don't even have a name?"

"Does that matter?" Sephiroth asked, "We're not even out here to bring down the Shinra…at least not quite yet. Are you even comfortable with the idea of revolting?"

Luxiere looked away, obviously torn.

"Right now, we're just a group of people on the run from them," Kunsel said, "Pinning everything on the visions of one girl."

"Gee, way to put the pressure on, guys!" Aerith complained as the group finally entered the grove.

Just then, Sephiroth looked up.

"You hear that too, don't you?" he asked, turning to Genesis and Angeal.

"Helicopters," Angeal said softly, "Let's keep going so they don't see us if they pass over."

"I don't hear anything," Zack said.

"Trust them," Elfé said, "Sephiroth hears better than anyone. It would make sense that his friends could as well. Keep moving, everyone…"

* * *

"Whaddaya mean you're not done?!" Cid exclaimed as he stood near the entrance of the tank room a few hours later.

"I've checked them three times, Captain," Shera said as she knelt down next to several large oxygen tanks and shook her head, "I'm still not satisfied with the results. It's too close for comfort."

"They _pass!_" Cid argued, "Let it go!"

"They _barely_ pass!" Shera said as she turned to look worriedly at Cid. "I want them to pass with flying colors! All it takes is three minutes without air for a person to die. This was a mistake to push the launch up…" She turned back and began fiddling with the meter she held in her hands.

"You're just worried because now you don't have time to move so slowly," Cid said, rolling his eyes as he pulled out a half-smoked cigarette.

Shera turned around again. Spotting the cigarette, she leaped to her feet. "Captain! Have you lost your mind?! You'll blow us all to pieces with all this oxygen!"

"Calm down, woman," Cid sighed as he took out a lighter, "I won't light up until I'm outside. Look, Shera, I appreciate that you're concerned…really. But really…we're running outta time here. I need to be secure in the rocket in fifteen minutes. Then I go up in half an hour."

"I should be done a few minutes before you go up," Shera assured him as she adjusted the valve of one of the tanks.

"You _sure?_" Cid teased.

"Yes, Captain. Go do what you need to do. I'll make sure it's done safely."

Cid nodded. "All right. I'll get out of your way so you can concentrate."

Shera smiled. "Thank you, Captain…do your best, all right?"

"You're preaching to the choir, Shera," Cid said with a grin before turning around. He then walked out the door, onto the ramp leading to the rocket's hatch.

* * *

"I've never been this high up off the ground…" Aerith said nervously as she sat on a large tree branch, straddling the trunk of a giant tree. She cautiously leaned to her right, able to see the Shinra 26 perfectly. "At least when I'd visit Elder Bugenhagen way up on the mountaintop, I could still walk on solid ground."

"I've got you if anything happens," Sephiroth reminded her as he sat on a branch two feet away from her.

"And if he doesn't get you, I'll be the one to break your fall at the expense of my neck," Genesis quipped as he sat roughly five feet underneath her.

"How are you doing?" Angeal asked as he and Elfé shared a branch one tree over, "For living in Cosmo Canyon for almost 15 years, you climbed that tree like you'd been doing it your whole life."

"I've been on enough missions where I had to run from monsters," Elfé said, "I've always had a knack for climbing. Maybe I spent my childhood in a place with a lot of trees."

"You've been all over the world pretty much, haven't you?" Angeal asked appreciatively.

"Almost," said Elfé, "Master Terrato kept me away from Wutai, and I've never been to Kalm."

"Kalm's a snore-fest," Kunsel said, sitting in a branch on the opposite side of the tree, "You're not missing much."

"Yeah, take it from me," said Luxiere, "I grew up there, and the last time anything happened was when I was two. It was bad, though. Horrible fire took out a whole block."

"Really?" Angeal asked, So…about fifteen years ago?"

Luxiere nodded. "My grandma said a little girl and her mother died. She told me the girl used to play with me at the playground, but I don't remember. I was only a baby. Her daddy left town after that...too many bad memories, I guess. Supposedly he was a Turk, which is surprising. Not many Turks get married and start families."

"Hey," Angeal said, looking at Elfé, who suddenly looked distant, "What's the matter?"

Elfé failed to respond as she stared off into space.

* * *

_"__Daddy, can I have a baby brother?"_

_ "__A brother? Why not a sister?"_

_ "…__I guess a sister's okay. But there was this little boy that kept begging me to push him on the swings."_

_"A-ha...I'll bet you just wanted to take him home with you, huh?"_

_"He tried to follow me."_

_"Did he? Hah, I wish I could have seen that. __Well, Pumpkin…all moms and dads can do is try, and then see what happens."_

_ "__Will you try?"_

_ "__Haha…sure. We'll try our best…"_

* * *

"Hey…are you okay?" Angeal asked.

Elfé snapped out of her reverie. "Huh? Yeah, sure. Did you say something before?"

"I think I hear them counting down," Angeal repeated himself, "It's happening."

"Smoke!" Zack announced, sitting above Angeal and Elfé.

Indeed, smoke was billowing out from below the rocket.

"Any second now," Sephiroth announced.

Just then, the smoke became thicket, and flames could be seen on the bottom. Slowly, the rocket began to rise.

Sephiroth watched intently while everyone else exploded into excited cheers and applause.

"Huh?!" Zack exclaimed after only a few seconds, "The flames are going out!"

"It's going back down?" Aerith asked confusedly.

The group watched as the rocket crashed back onto the launchpad with a loud _clang_. Then, with a loud metallic groan, it slowly tilted off to the side, the metal of the rocket scratching against the frame of the launchpad. Finally, it settled at a roughly 30-degree angle.

"What's going on?" Genesis wondered aloud, "Did something malfunction?"

"Guess so..." Elfé said, not taking her eyes off the rocket.

* * *

Palmer shoved angrily through the hundreds of people that had come to see the launch.

"Wh-what the hell just happened?!" he shrieked, waving his fists as he waited for the smoke to clear.

Cid's assistants immediately flocked over to the makeshift building at the base of the rocket, bursting inside. For a few minutes, the crowd waited, murmuring amongst themselves in complete confusion.

Then, the door finally burst open, and Cid stormed out.

"OUTTA MY FUCKING WAY!" he shouted as he shoved through the throng of people.

"You get back here!" Palmer shouted as he followed Cid. He managed to catch up to him after they both emerged from the crowd. "What the hell is going on, Cid?! Why did you abort the launch?!"

"Because that idiot Shera was still in the engine room checking the oxygen tanks!" Cid yelled, red-faced, "Apparently, she's fucking _deaf!_ Otherwise she would've gotten the hell out of there when she was supposed to!"

"Arrrrgggghhhh!" Palmer shouted in frustration, gripping what little hair he had left.

"Six fucking months until we get another chance!" Cid yelled as he grabbed his goggles and threw them down in frustration.

Palmer stamped his foot. "No, Cid…not six months!"

Cid looked at Palmer. "What the hell do you mean?"

"I didn't tell you because I thought it wouldn't be a big deal!" Palmer said, wringing his hands, "The president decided not to fund a back-up launch. This was our only shot, and now it's ruined!"

Cid's eyes widened. "Y-you're fucking kidding me, right…?" he said, his voice still strained, but much quieter now.

"Why would I kid about something like that?!" Palmer exploded, "He's decided to put the money toward some special project in the science department, and building Corel into a resort city! So the space program is _kaput!_"

"Captain!" Shera emerged from the crowd, covered in soot, "I'm so sorry! You should have just kept going!"

"GODDAMMIT, Shera…you wanna make me a murderer?!" Cid yelled, towering over her. "Palmer just told me there's not going to be another launch! It's over, Shera! Everything! My dreams, my future…you took it all away from me, you suicidal freak!"

The crowd was deathly silent now. Some of the people began to leave, not wanting to bear witness to this painful spectacle. Others looked away, unable to watch as Shera wilted right before everybody. The rest were unable to take their eyes off of the train-wreck occurring before them.

"Captain…" Shera whispered.

"I don't wanna fucking hear it…" the pilot said coldly, before turning around and walking back toward his house.

At that, the crowd began to disperse, murmuring uncomfortably amongst themselves as they also headed back to their houses.

Shera's head dropped, and her shoulders slumped as she turned around and slowly walked back to her own home.

* * *

"Okay, thanks, Tifa!" Aerith hung up her PHS.

"So what happened?" Elfé pressed as everyone stood around, having all climbed out of the trees.

"Tifa was in the crowd with Master Zangan," Aerith said, "She overheard what happened when Cid came out of the rocket. I guess someone was still near the rocket when it launched. Cid aborted the launch so the person wouldn't get burned to a crisp. He was _really_ angry. I guess there's no rain date for the launch."

"Oh, shit…" Elfé muttered, "This is going to make things _very_ complicated. Everyone says that 'The Captain' is a short-tempered guy. Something tells me that our deal is the last thing on his mind."

"Tough," Genesis said, "How many times do bad things happen to all of us? We still have to carry on and keep going."

"I doubt it's that simple," Elfé said, "My guess is, the Shinra are probably just as pissed as he is."

"You don't think they'll do something bad to him, do you?" Aerith asked, concerned, "I know they're capable of making up crazy charges. My biological father was shot for 'obstructing scientific progress'. At least that's what my mom said."

"Interesting..." Kunsel commented, "The science department homepage says he passed away from a heart-attack."

"Heart attack?!" Aerith exclaimed angrily, "Who dies of a heart-attack at the age of twenty-nine?!"

"Calm down, Aerith…" Sephiroth said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's entirely possible that Cid could be made into a scapegoat," Elfé said as she rummaged through her things.

"What are you doing?" Angeal asked as he watched Elfé putting a few of her belongings into a small backpack.

"Somebody has to go find out the details," Elfé answered, "Cid himself…he's probably not in the mood to be talking to anyone right now. But Shera's his assistant. She probably knows exactly what happened. Besides, we didn't have the chance to pick up anymore food before we had to rush out. Now that the Shinra are dealing with this problem, they'll be distracted. It's the perfect time to move."

"I could go with you," Aerith volunteered, "Kunsel showed me the wanted poster they have of me in the Shinra database. The age-progression picture looks nothing like me!"

"If Aerith is coming along, then so am I," Sephiroth said, running a hand absently through his hair, which he had managed to dye once more, right before the group's sudden exit that morning. Fortunately, he had always been an early riser.

"I'll come too," Angeal offered. He pulled a grey ivy cap from his belongings and put it on.

Elfé pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. "Fair enough," she said, "Anyway, if Palmer's smart, he'll stay indoors after this fiasco. Any public figure would be humiliated after all of this…"

* * *

Cissnei watched uneasily as Palmer downed another drink…his fifth cocktail in fifteen minutes. At some point, this would have to stop. Nervously, she glanced at Veld, who caught her eye. He held up his hand, indicating that they should keep still.

Reno, Rude, Freyra and Tseng also relaxed slightly. Only Palmer had been oblivious to the silent communication between the Turks.

"The prezzident's mad as hell…" Palmer repeated himself, as he often did while he was drunk, "He didn't even wanna deal with this clusterfff…sending Rufus instead. You know I'm in big trouble if he's sending in the brat!"

"I'm sure it's Cid that they'll focus their anger on," Tseng reassured the executive half-heartedly. He certainly didn't envy Highwind. Likely, the consequences for him would be "employment" with the company…to pay off whatever arbitrary debts his failure had incurred. President Shinra would likely move the goalposts in order to ensure that the pilot's time with the company would be indefinite.

After all, it was the reason half of the Turks were employed…

"I'm goin' fer a walk!" Palmer shouted as he stood up.

Cissnei winced at Palmer's booming voice, having been seated right next to him. Palmer was clearly a cross between "deaf drunk" and "belligerent drunk" with all of his shouting. She then watched as he attempted to stagger away, only to fall over his own chair.

Reno buried his head in his arms, trying to conceal his laughter while Rude subtly kicked him underneath the table.

"Sir, allow me," Tseng said politely as he helped the corpulent official up.

"I'm fine!" Palmer shrieked, "Lemme alone!"

"You know I can't do that, sir," Tseng reminded him, "We're here to keep you safe. You're the one who was worried someone might try to shoot you. Like Miss Scarlet, remember?"

"Oh yeah…" Palmer recalled. He whirled around, pointing at Reno and Rude. "You two…you come too."

Reno looked at his own half-finished beer and sighed regretfully. Preferring to savor his drink, he picked up the mug and reluctantly downed it in three gulps. Not missing a beat, he and Rude stood up and escorted Palmer out of the bar.

"Well, this has been a shitty day…" Freyra sighed.

"I'll admit, I was looking forward to seeing someone go into space," Veld agreed, "I used to read books about those sorts of things when I was a boy."

"Ah, when it was thought that airships would get us into space?" Freyra teased.

"Yes, get your jabs at the old man while you can," Veld said dryly, "Anyway, you all did a good job today. A lot of people blamed Palmer for moving the launch up…"

Cissnei nodded. After the confrontation with Cid, Palmer had decided to head back to the room above the pub where he was staying. Several angry townspeople had thrown bottles at Palmer's head as he was being escorted by the half-dozen Turks. Freyra had taken one of those bottles right to the forehead, while Reno had been picking glass and combing blood out of the back of his long red hair. Each of them had required a potion for their injuries.

"How long until the vice president arrives?" Freyra asked, "Wasn't he vacationing over at Costa Del Sol?"

"Yes," Veld replied grimly, "He'll be flying in via chopper. I'm sure he'll be here soon, and he won't be too pleased with this incident."

"Mr. Veld…" Cissnei spoke hesitantly.

"Hmm?"

"Is it true that there's been some…problems…with this experiment that some of our girls got involved in?" Cissnei asked, speaking in a hushed tone, "It's been three weeks since 'Project T' started. There's been no word whatsoever from any of the girls. You've always said that we take care of our own. What's going on?"

Veld shook his head. "It's too soon to say," he sighed, "Hojo's been stonewalling us…or rather, he gets his new pet Fuhito to do it for him."

"Not a smart move for that old quack to make," Reno said darkly.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Palmer stumbled back in.

"Sir, slow down!" Tseng shouted as he ran in following him. Reno and Rude entered immediately after.

"Veld!" Palmer exclaimed, looking frightened.

Veld and the two female Turks quickly stood up and hurried over to him.

"What's wrong, sir?" Veld asked, his take-charge demeanor suddenly present.

"Last year, the M-M-Midgar raid!" Palmer stammered.

Veld nodded patiently. A year ago, Palmer had nearly been dispatched by a well-known group of bandits rumored to be working for Avalanche. They had killed his two bodyguards, and nearly succeeded in killing Palmer, only for Tseng and several other Turks to step in at the last second. They had traced their leaders, a man named Shears and an unidentified woman, back to their hideout, where a shootout had ensued. According to Tseng, the only survivors had been four young people who managed to escape into the sewers. They had consisted of two young men and a girl all wearing red bandanas, and the aforementioned young woman.

Tseng would have followed the survivors and had them taken in for questioning, but two Turks had been seriously wounded in the shootout. Palmer had been furious, but Veld reminded him that finding people who "fit the suits" was hard as it was, and as a result, Turk safety was the number one priority in the organization.

"He insists he saw one of the survivors, sir," Tseng explained to Veld, "The woman with the cape."

"She even had the same grey cape, and the same earthy-crunchy earrings!" Palmer slurred, "She wuz walking around with some other young people. Avalanche is here!"

"I didn't see anything," Reno muttered.

"Nor did I," Tseng admitted, "But we should get him back to his room and double security in case it's true."

Veld nodded. Even a perceived threat needed to be taken seriously.

Cissnei and Freyra both suppressed their sighs, knowing that double security meant they might not be getting any sleep tonight.

"Don't worry, Mr. Palmer," Veld reassured the man, "Let's get you up to your room. We'll have someone at both your windows, and everyone else will be at the door. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm t-t-too young to die!" Palmer whined, "What did I ever do to those guys?"

Veld turned toward Reno and Rude. "Go to the library and print out the artist's rendering I'll be sending you. Start showing it around to people and asking plenty of questions."

"Yes, Mr. Veld," Reno and Rude chorused.

"It'll be fine, sir," Tseng said calmly as the other four Turks formed a protective circle around Palmer. Together, they escorted him over to the stairs leading to his private room.

"Goddamnit…" Reno groaned, "Now I get to worry about more people throwing shit at me?"

"They were aiming at Mr. Palmer- not you," Rude reassured him, "Let's go…"

* * *

"It was my fault," Shera sniffled as she and Elfé sat in her living room. She held a tissue and wiped her eyes, before blowing her nose. "I knew it wasn't safe! If I'd just had one more hour, it would've been fine, but I know the Captain doesn't see it that way…"

Elfé shifted uncomfortably, thankful that Aerith was sitting next to the distraught woman, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. For only being half-human, the demi-Cetra certainly had the gentle "human touch" that Elfé lacked.

Sephiroth stood near the window, occasionally glancing outside warily. Angeal was scouting the town, on the watch for any Shinra personnel.

"Maybe he'll feel better in the morning," Aerith suggested hopefully, "A good night's sleep and all?"

"He'll be hung over," Shera said, shaking her head, "He's in an even worse mood when he's in that state. If you want to talk to him, do it before he goes to the bar."

"If we can't convince him by tomorrow night, we'll have to be on our way," Sephiroth spoke up, "Perhaps we should be heading over there right now?"

Just then, his phone beeped.

"Is that Angeal?" Elfé asked.

Sephiroth nodded. "We should go right now. He says the Shinra are all guarding the place where Palmer is staying. Apparently, that's right above the pub, which incidentally, seems to be closing down right now."

"So there's really nowhere else for Cid to be," Aerith said hopefully.

Shera spoke up: "If he's not at the house, check the backyard. He might be tinkering around with his plane, or the airship."

"Airship?" Aerith was intrigued.

"Yes," Shera answered, "I think he adores that even more than his plane. I used to say that we should try and make airplanes bigger and faster, but there was something about the gentleness of airships that the Captain loved."

"Cid? Gentle?" Elfé said dubiously as she raised an eyebrow.

"I've always wanted to see what exists past the raging storms below the continents," Shera said wistfully, "Below Mideel. That was originally the Captain's idea as well. Then Shinra came to us, gave us a whole spiel about space travel, and you should have seen his eyes light up. But…" she frowned, "…all they did was give these vague generalities. They never really went into detail…and I'm very detail-oriented. So when you sent the message to him about having him fly you up north, I convinced him to at least hear you out. Luckily for you, that was before he stopped speaking to me."

"That's not fair," said Elfé, "If you weren't confident about those oxygen tanks, they should have waited until you were positive everything was all set."

"Shinra wants what it wants yesterday," Sephiroth muttered.

"If you're worried about drawing the Shinra's attention," Shera suggested, "I know how I can help you blend in. Call you friend over here first, though…"

* * *

"The moon…" Cid sighed, "…outer space…my dreams."

The despondent pilot stood in his living room. Leaning against his window, he lifted a bottle of beer to his lips and began chugging away. The sun was still high in the sky, but had passed over his house. Now, the moon could be seen faintly, and Cid could not take his eyes off of it, regardless of how painful the sight was. It should have been glowing in the darkness of space, looking twice as big. Now, he doubted he would ever get to see that sight for himself.

He finished his beer and then glanced down, noticing four of his mechanics approaching his front gate.

"Oh god…I'm _not_ in the mood for a pity party…" he grumbled to no one as he put the bottle down on the windowsill.

As the group got closer, he scowled and leaned forward. He didn't recognize any of the people dressed in the blue coveralls. He then saw Shera lagging behind, dressed in her lab coat as she always was.

"Oh, hell no…!" Cid growled, ready to close the curtains and walk away. Just then, he recognized one of the "mechanics" as Elfé, and he suddenly realized what was going on. "Well, well, well…" he said bitterly as he stood up straight and walked over to the door, opening it before anybody could knock. "So!" he said to the small group, "The second Shinra fucks me over, and guess who shows up? Okay- I admit I shouldn't have put my faith in them."

"We're all very sorry about what happened," Elfé said sympathetically.

"Who are these guys?" Cid asked.

"Friends," Elfé answered, "May we come in?"

"Yeah, why not?" Cid sighed, opening the door and allowing everyone to enter. He then glared at Shera before looking at his new guests.

In his living room now stood a muscular swordsman with the widest sword he had ever seen. Next to him, a guy with long, black hair(Possibly dyed? His forehead had black smears near the hairline.) was looking around the house. Neither of them looked like the type one wanted to meet in a dark alley and start a fight with. However, the girl with the staff looked out of place compared to everyone else. Not only was she the smallest of the four, she was clearly also the youngest.

"This is Cid Highwind, everyone," Elfé introduced everyone, "This is Sephiroth, Aerith, and Angeal."

"Nice to meet you," Aerith said politely as Cid shook hands with her and the others.

"Sit down," Cid invited everyone. He then glanced at Shera. "As long as you're here, make yourself useful and go bring us some tea."

A hopeful look came across Shera's face. "Yes, Captain!" she said eagerly as she went to go look for the ingredients.

Everyone else sat down at the table in the middle of the kitchen/living room.

"So you mentioned in your letter that my helping you would be well worth it," Cid said to Elfé, "What are we talking?"

"Well, as far as official Avalanche business goes," Elfé stated, "We're willing to provide all the expenses needed toward building a plane for Avalanche, and training a pilot. You'd also get a hefty stipend as well."

"And if Avalanche starts flying planes," Cid argued, "They'll know it came from here…specifically, me. Look, I'm fucking pissed at the Shinra for canceling the launch, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna make an enemy out of them."

"We can put you in protective custody," Elfé offered.

"And likely never be able to leave my 'new home'," Cid snorted, "You kids really think you'll topple the Shinra so easily? We're talking layers and layers of protection."

"Which they'll be deprived of if they don't have their air force," Angeal interjected.

Cid stared at him. "How'd you know about that?" he asked, "Heidegger said that was top secret."

"Heidegger talks to anyone that can help him stroke his own ego," Sephiroth spoke up, recalling their few encounters when he was a boy.

"All I remember was that weird laugh of his…" Aerith giggled.

"How the hell did you two end up meeting the head of the military?" Cid asked.

"That's not important," Elfé cut in, "Do you think the Shinra are just going to pack up and leave without incident? They're going to make you their scapegoat. Corel was the scapegoat when one person fired at Scarlet's head. This failed launch is going to cause major embarrassment for the company. Canceling the launch? I guarantee you that they're just getting started…"

Cid stared at his hands, which were clasped together and resting on the table. "How do I know you're not just saying that to wind me up?" he asked.

Elfé sighed as she felt her patience wearing thin.

"You're still hung up on going to the Northern Continent?" Cid asked, leaning forward curiously, "What for, anyway?"

"We're going to the abandoned city north of Bone Village," Aerith explained.

Cid scowled. "What- Modeoheim?"

"The City of the Ancients," Sephiroth spoke up.

"What, are Avalanche suddenly interested in archaeology?" Cid scoffed.

"It's complicated," Aerith said, "We just need to get to shore."

"I calculated the speed your plane goes," Elfé told him, "All in all, you'd only be gone for a couple of days if you factor refueling and getting a good night's rest in between trips. Everyone will just think you went to go blow off some steam somewhere."

"Ah, what the hell?" Cid shrugged and smiled slightly. "It's not like I've got anything better to do."

Shera cautiously approached the table.

"How's that tea coming along?" Cid asked impatiently.

"Captain, you appear to be out of tea," Shera said apologetically.

"Oh, for fuck's sake...!" Cid exploded.

"I can go grocery shopping for you," she told him as she adjusted her glasses timidly, "You seem to be out of a lot of things as it is. It'll only take me about half-an-hour-,"

"-It'll take even longer if you keep yapping about it!" Cid snapped, "Just go to the damn store already!"

"I'm sorry," Shera said meekly as she hurried out of the house.

Elfé raised an eyebrow. "So you're going to have her doing maid work now?"

"She always did stuff like that," Cid said indifferently, "She's my assistant. I dunno why she makes that go beyond the garage and my work, but whatever."

Aerith bit her lip to keep from saying anything.

"I still need an assistant," Cid grumbled, "But make no mistake- I still hate her guts for what she did this morning!"

"For saving you from being Shinra's publicity puppet?" Sephiroth asked pointedly.

"I don't give a damn about any of that!" Cid argued, "I just wanted to go up there. Goddammit, I'd have gone up there in a fuckin' ballet tutu and a clown wig in front of live cameras if it meant I could be the guy who first visited space. Hell…I could have been the _fifth_ guy visiting space…I just wanted to _be_ there!"

"You couldn't try to get private funding?" Angeal asked, "I mean, they've already got the rocket built. There must be a way to get that thing straightened up again and try one more time."

"Huh…" Cid looked thoughtful, "You're right…I mean, there'd be no chance in hell if we were starting from scratch…but…ah hell, who knows?"

"You'd have plenty of time to think about it while you help us out," Aerith said hopefully.

"So, while we wait for the tea, can we check out that plane?" Elfé asked.

"What- ain't my hospitality good enough for you?" Cid joked as he stood up. He then grinned at the others. "Fine, but only because I like showing off my babies."

He led the others out the back door and into his enormous back yard. Near the edge, stood a small airplane.

"How many people can this thing fit?" Angeal asked.

"Nine, plus some cargo underneath," Cid answered.

"Perfect," Elfé said, "There'll be four more people joining us."

"What?" Cid protested, "You didn't mention other people!"

"I _did_ mention one of our friends was sick," Elfé reminded him.

"You didn't mention he'd be coming with us!" Cid argued, "Or that my plane would be packed to full capacity."

"All of this is for his benefit," Elfé told him.

"So you want me to be in a tiny plane all day with a sick person…" Cid growled, " that I've said yes, the other fucking shoe drops, is that it?"

"He's not contagious," Elfé assured the pilot.

"He's going in the back," Cid insisted.

* * *

"Sure, we've seen her," the young blonde woman said, glancing at her friend, who nodded in agreement.

"When and where?" Reno asked.

"Yesterday," the girl with the crazy hairstyle said, "We also saw her at the Gold Saucer last week. She's got a friend who's always with her. About the same height as us. Brown hair, bright green eyes…"

"And it's always in a braid," the blonde girl added, "But yesterday they were with another girl. She had dark hair that was _really_ long, and she wore a cowboy hat."

Rude stood next to Reno, scribbling down the details on a small notepad.

"She had really pretty earrings too," the crazy-haired girl added.

"Oh yeah, those teardrop-shaped ones?" the blonde girl said to her friend, "I want a pair like those! I wanted to ask her where she got them..." She then turned to look at Reno. "...but that lady you were looking for came and pretty much dragged them away."

"Is she some kind of troublemaker?" the crazy-haired girl asked conspiratorially.

"She definitely had an attitude," the blonde girl piped in.

"Don't worry about it," Reno said brusquely, "Thanks for your co-operation."

"Reno, I think I see one of them," Rude whispered as the girls walked away.

Reno looked around before his eyes settled on Tifa, who had just come out of the general store with Zangan. "Good eye. All right, let's do this."

They walked over to the pair, who were strolling leisurely past the shops.

"Hey," Reno said loudly, causing them to turn around.

Tifa immediately looked nervous, while Zangan merely smiled. "Something wrong, boys?" he asked in a friendly tone.

Reno glared at the man, clearly resenting being addressed as "boy". _God, I hate old people…_he thought.

"This girl has been seen with a young woman who is currently wanted for attempted murder," Rude spoke calmly, "Are you her guardian?"

"I am," Zangan replied evenly.

"Then you'll both have to come with us…" Rude said.

Zangan quickly stepped forward. Before the two Turks could process anything, he grabbed Reno and Rude's heads at lightning-speed, and smacked their foreheads together, stunning them momentarily. Immediately, he grabbed Tifa's arm and led her away as the two took off running.

* * *

"Meanie…" Aerith grumbled as the four sat in the kitchen drinking their tea. Cid had gone off to tinker with the car he had in his garage, and ordered Shera to organize the spare parts piled up in the back yard.

"He's not having a very good time, I suppose," Elfé reasoned.

"Yeah, well he's being insensitive to Genesis's condition," Aerith insisted, "assuming right away that he's contagious. And he's downright abusive to that poor lady!"

"I agree," said Sephiroth.

"Mm," Angeal grunted, nodding.

"It's no way to treat someone who's clearly in love with him," Aerith went on.

"In love with him?" Elfé asked, "How do you figure?"

"She was willing to lay down her life, fixing those oxygen tanks," the demi-Cetra explained, "And when the launch was ruined because he couldn't let her die, well, you saw. She's doing everything he tells her to. If that's not love, what is?"

"Misguided love…" Sephiroth muttered.

"She should stand up for herself," Elfé added, just as her PHS buzzed. She pulled it out of her pocket and examined it. "The others said they should be here in a few minutes."

"Finally, we'll be almost there…" Aerith sighed happily.

All of a sudden, the telephone on the wall rang loudly, causing everyone to jump.

"I got it!" Cid could be heard shouting. He then emerged from the garage through the side door, wiping his greasy hands on a rag before answering. "Hello?" He stood with his back turned to everyone, listening quietly. "What?! Now? Yeah, okay…sure! Yeah, no problem! I'll be waiting outside!" He hung up and craned his head toward the side door. "Shera! Get some more tea ready! Oh shit…" He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Maybe he convinced his old man not to cancel the launch after all…yeah, that must be it if Rufus himself is on his way!"

"What?!" Elfé exclaimed as she and the others stood up abruptly, her own chair tipping over and crashing to the floor.

Cid then turned around, as if remembering the others. "Oh, shit…uh…"

Shera entered the house, making a beeline for the stove.

"Never mind the tea for now!" Cid barked, "Rufus's personal assistant just phoned to tell me that he's on his way by helicopter in a few minutes. Get these guys out of here!"

"Quick- over there!" Shera said as she ushered the foursome toward the back door. As they exited the house, Shera rushed ahead and led them over to a large van with no wheels, sitting next to a pile of junk. She opened the door, herding everyone inside.

"Do you have a phone on you?" Elfé asked.

Shera nodded as she pulled out a small PHS.

"One-two-five, five-five-three-nine," Elfé recited.

Shera nodded as she punched the numbers, repeating them back to Elfé, who nodded back in approval. "I'll text you and let you know what's happening! Stay here until then!"

She then closed the door and hurried back toward the house.

"I'm texting the others right now," Elfé said as she typed into her phone, "I'm messaging Zack and telling him to stay away from the house. Somebody text Genesis just so we can be sure they get the message."

"I'm on it," Angeal said as he pulled his phone out.

No sooner had they finished sending their texts than the faint sound of a helicopter could be heard in the distance. The group froze nervously, not knowing if the others had gotten their messages.

All they could do now was wait.

* * *

"First you cancel the launch altogether, and now you want to take my _airship?!_" Cid exclaimed.

He stood outside of his house, arms crossed, and glaring angrily at Rufus, who was flanked by several Turks, including Veld, Reno and Rude.

"We put a lot of money into the launch," President Shinra retorted coldly as Shera joined them, "You and your girlfriend have wasted-,"

"SHE'S NOT MY FUCKING GIRLFRIEND!" Cid yelled.

Shera looked away, stricken.

"Whatever she is, you were responsible for hiring her. I thought you would be the man to help us soar to the stars, but you can't even control your employees. Given how much money was wasted on a rocket that will cost even more money to fix than it would to build a new rocket…"

"That's not true!" Shera argued, "All we have to do is-!"

Cid whirled around to face her furiously. "_Shut the fuck up_, woman!" he snapped.

Shera backed away, unable to hide the tears in her eyes.

"Consider it payment for the time we've wasted thanks to you," Rufus said, smoothing his hair back.

"Bastard!" Cid lunged at the vice president, only to be blocked by Veld.

The older man held up his arm, which had a large gun grafted to where his hand used to be. "Not a wise move, Mr. Highwind," he said coolly.

"I'll let that one slide," said Rufus, "Only because my father still needs you to design those planes for Heidegger's 'sky army' or whatever he calls it."

"Fuck…!" Cid hissed as he backed off. He began cracking his knuckles, clearly agitated.

Veld leaned closer to Rufus. "Sir…" he spoke softly, "Should I radio Cissnei and Freyra? Have them bring the transport vehicle over to the airship?"

Rufus nodded. "I will personally deal with _that_ problem once I'm aboard the airship," he whispered, "I want Tseng to remain here with the other two, and make sure this town isn't forming any unwise alliances…"

Veld nodded and walked off to the side, pulling out a walkie-talkie.

"Now…" Rufus adjusted his ascot and smiled charmingly at Shera. "Palmer tells me you make a lovely cup of tea. I'll make myself at home while I wait…"

* * *

"Are you all right?" Aerith whispered as a distraught Shera opened the door to the van fifteen minutes later.

"Here!" Shera sniffled as she dug in her pocket and pulled out a key, handing it to Sephiroth. "It's a spare key inside the airship. You might have to fight the two Turks that are already there. They're waiting to escort Cid and his pilots back to Midgar. Please don't let them take the airship! It's bad enough I killed his dream…!"

At that, she ran off sobbing.

"I feel so bad for her…" Aerith said sadly.

"I know, but we have to get going," Sephiroth said as he stood up and ran toward the field where the airship sat. The others quickly followed.

"Hey, look!" Aerith exclaimed, pointing off to the side. Zack, Kunsel and Luxiere were also in the field, running toward the large aircraft. "They must have been waiting for us!"

"Where's Genesis?" Sephiroth asked as the two groups converged.

"Said he'd catch up with us in a minute," Kunsel said as they finally reached the airship, "He wanted to make sure the Shinra couldn't give chase."

"Reckless bastard…" Angeal growled, exasperated.

Sephiroth pulled out the key and walked over to the door.

"Shit," Zack said, pointing at the army truck that was parked nearby.

"Cid's assistant warned us that a couple of Turks were already inside," Sephiroth informed the SOLDIERs as he pulled the door open.

Zack hesitated slightly before following the others inside.

* * *

To the party's surprise, the two female Turks standing in the cockpit didn't even bat an eye, let alone ready their weapons for a fight.

Nearby, two young men stood near the pilot wheel. Both wore blue jumpsuits with matching square caps, and tan vests. They eyed the newcomers nervously, bracing for some sort of fight.

"Took you long enough," Cissnei remarked as she and Freyra sat, each sipping a can of cola.

"Ugh…you win…" Freyra sighed as she dug into her pocket and pulled out a hundred-gil note. She reluctantly handed it to Cissnei. "So now that they've stormed the _Highwind_ like you predicted, what now?"

"Two Turks against…" Cissnei carefully pointed at everybody one at a time, counting silently. "…seven people. We were horribly overpowered. Cid Highwind's employees helped too, so that makes nine."

"Ten, once Cid gets here," Sephiroth informed them.

"Fair enough," Freyra said nonchalantly before her eyes settled on Genesis. "Still causing trouble, huh? Scandalizing a party full of stuffy rich folk with indecent ice sculptures was just the beginning?"

Everyone except for Genesis, Sephiroth and Angeal looked confused, while Sephiroth and Angeal suddenly recalled that unfortunate incident from years ago. Neither of them looked as though they treasured that particular memory.

Genesis merely smiled. "Nice to know you still remember me. So the green hair was just a pre-adolescent phase, I take it?"

Cissnei stared at her friend in amusement. "Green hair? No wonder you don't have any pictures of yourself as a kid."

Freyra cringed. "I did it to blend in with my surroundings. Whenever I went hunting, I'd dress in camouflage as well."

"Cute," Cissnei remarked with a chuckle.

"You're not going to fight us?" Zack asked, half-relieved and half-confused.

"It's gotta be a trick," Elfé said as she pulled her katana out.

Freyra immediately grabbed her shotgun, pointing it at Elfé. "I wonder which one of us is faster?"

Sephiroth immediately phased behind her, holding Masamune to her throat. "Indeed…" he said coldly, "I trust you'll do the smart thing and drop the gun?"

"I'll take it," Genesis said, holding his hand out. Freyra reluctantly handed him her shotgun, which he promptly emptied.

"You too," Elfé said to Cissnei.

The younger Turk sighed and handed her large shuriken over to the swordswoman.

"Sorry," Zack said sheepishly to Cissnei.

"It's to be expected," Cissnei responded forgivingly.

"Empty your pockets," Elfé ordered the Turks, "Give me your phones and hand over your jackets. Open your cuffs and roll up your sleeves."

Cissnei and Freyra grudgingly obliged.

"Who are you?" Elfé asked the two young men.

"We help the Captain maintain his airship and his plane," the taller man answered, "We also help him fly his namesake here whenever he takes it out. He's training us as pilots for when he has more airships built. Anyway, we were just doing our usual job like always. Then these two drove up and made us get in. They asked us if there was a brig here, and we told them about the chocobo stable that wasn't being used."

"Why do you need a brig?" Sephiroth asked the two Turks.

"You'll see eventually," Freyra said with a shrug.

Elfé glared at her before turning to the two trainees. "What are your names?"

"I'm Brick," said the tall one.

"And I'm Lenny," the chubby one introduced himself.

"We'll need a place to keep those two," Elfé said as she glanced at Cissnei and Freyra. "Can you show us where that empty stable is?"

"Yeah, okay..." Lenny said, still wondering what the hell was going on. He and Brick warily led Elfé and the two Turks out of the cockpit.

"What do we do about Rufus, anyway?" Sephiroth asked as he kept an eye on the doorway, "He'll be boarding along with Cid any minute now."

"It's not like Rufus Shinra is a trained warrior," Angeal said.

"He might have more bodyguards with him," Zack warned everybody.

"Shh!" Sephiroth whispered, "I hear footsteps,"

"I wouldn't worry too much about Rufus," Genesis said as he strolled into the cockpit, followed by a bewildered Cid and Shera.

"If I hadn't seen it, I wouldna believed it," Cid remarked, shaking his head in wonder.

"What did you do?" Angeal asked.

"Just cast a few low-level fire spells to distract the Shinra folks before leveling that chopper with a 'Comet' spell," Genesis answered with a smirk, "Then I grabbed these two and brought them here, 'Genesis Express'."

"It all happened so fast…!" Shera exclaimed, hugging herself nervously.

"Yeah, he flew us through the air too," Luxiere told her sympathetically, "It's pretty nerve-wracking."

"Where's Lenny and Brick?" Cid asked, looking around, "They take off running the minute the Turks showed up?

"They're showing Elfé the chocobo stable," Angeal answered, "I guess that's where we'll be keeping those Turks for the time being."

"All right, well, let's just get this baby off the ground," Cid said as he went over to the controls and began firing up the engines.

* * *

"What the hell…?!" Elfé exclaimed as she saw Zangan sitting in the chocobo stable, his hands bound by steel manacles, and his face bloodied. She then saw Tifa lying bruised and unconscious in the hay, her hands also restrained.

"She put up quite the fight," Zangan said proudly, tilting his head toward her. "We almost managed to lose them, but a bunch of troopers just showed up out of nowhere."

Elfé went over to him and pressed the button releasing the hydraulic metal binds. After re-adjusting the size, she then turned to Freyra. "Hold out your hands," she ordered.

Freyra sighed. "Figures…" she muttered as she obeyed, allowing the swordswoman to cuff her.

"What are you two doing here?" Genesis asked Zangan as he went over to Tifa and freed her as well. "What the hell happened?"

"Give those to me," Elfé said. She took the cuffs and quickly snapped them onto Cissnei's wrists.

"We were detained because Tifa was seen with a known terrorist," Zangan explained, "I guess that being you, Elfé, since they described you to a T. Palmer remembered you from some incident in Midgar."

Elfé turned pale. "Goddammit…" she whispered. _He saw me that day…_

"I'll watch over the prisoners," Genesis offered, "You should bring Tifa over to Aerith."

"Good idea," Elfé muttered as Zangan knelt down and prepared to gather the girl in his arms.

A loud squeal of feedback caused everyone to cover their ears, while Cissnei and Freyra cringed helplessly. Then, the ground began vibrating as the airship's engines suddenly roared to life.

_"__Listen up, everyone!"_ Cid's voice blasted through a P.A. system, _"This is your Captain speaking! We'll be taking off in approximately sixty seconds! Wherever you are, sit down, and do NOT move unless you wanna risk serious injury! This is your only warning!"_

"I guess this will have to wait," Zangan said as he and the others all sat down on the ground.

* * *

"You guys grabbing on tight?" Cid asked as he gripped the pilot's wheel.

Everybody in the cockpit was seated near the many railings, grabbing tightly.

"Normally, I'd have you all sit in the meeting room, but we ain't got time," Cid explained, "Shera! Throw the switch!"

Shera, standing at the control panel on the other side of the room, pulled a lever off to the side, causing the entire craft to lurch.

"I feel like I'm being crushed!" Aerith cried.

"That's normal!" Cid laughed, "Don't worry! We're almost outta here!"

Aerith impulsively grabbed Sephiroth's hand, holding tight. The swordsman looked over at her, offering a slight smile to reassure her. He gave her hand a brief squeeze.

"WAHOO!" Cid yelled after a minute had passed, "Check it out, everyone! We're airborne!"

"Can we get up?" Angeal asked.

"Yeah, we're okay now!" Cid called out, "Check out the view, everyone. Pretty sweet, huh?"

The seven passengers got up slowly and made their way over to the giant window.

"Everything's just whizzing by!" Aerith breathed, amazed.

"Hey, speaking of whizzing…" Luxiere began as he crossed his legs uncomfortably.

"Right under the sign that says 'Operation'," Cid answered instantly, "Right before the meeting room, there's a door on your right, and that's the bathroom. The door on the left will take you to the cabins. We'll be arriving at our destination in about three hours...twice as fast than if we took the Tiny Bronco like you originally wanted."

"We figured we'd draw less attention in a small plane," Sephiroth explained.

Cid nodded. "Makes sense, but shit happens. Anyway, since I don't need a runway or whatever, I won't have to land this thing over the ocean like I planned."

"We wouldn't need to stop at Bone Village to get the Lunar Harp after all," Aerith said, relieved.

"Why the hell would you have needed a harp?" Cid asked.

"To get into the city," Aerith answered, "But now we've got an airship, so we don't need it."

"You know what? I'm sorry I asked," Cid remarked, looking utterly confused.

"According to our map," Angeal said, "The city's nestled in a canyon. In fact, it's more of a canyon than Cosmo Canyon is."

"Yeah, that always bugged me," Cid complained, "It's a fucking mountain range- not a canyon! This planet has some shitty geographers if ya ask me...but anyway!" He raised his voice, causing everyone to pay attention to him. "Here's the lowdown: if you're tired, like I said, there's cabins if you go down the hallway that leads to the meeting room. There should be enough rooms for everyone to have their privacy."

"Cool," Zack said, "I might as well take a nap, given our rude awakening."

"Yeah, I'm tired too," Kunsel agreed.

"I wonder what's taking Elfé so long..." Angeal said.

"Shit, that's right," Cid remembered. He picked up the CB microphone and pressed the button on the side. "To the people in the stable...you can move now. Thank you again for flying the fucking Highwind!" he put down the device and grinned at everyone. "Now get the hell outta here so I can concentrate on flying this thing..."

The group then dispersed, save for Aerith and Sephiroth, who remained at the window, watching the terrain speeding past them.

"Sorry you had to become a fugitive," Aerith said to Cid, a slight twinge of guilt to her voice.

"Ah, forget it," Cid said dismissively, "They'll never catch me so long as I'm driving my baby anyway."

Sephiroth nodded, simply relieved to know they were almost at their destination.

"Next stop," Cid announced, "The Northern Continent!"

* * *

A/N: Woo hoo! Fifty followers! Thank you, readers! This means there's a lot more people reading my story than there are people reviewing it. :P

We're almost at the Northern Continent. While the forgotten capital won't be as tragic as the original game, there will still be something big happening there.

Anyway, thanks to all of my new followers, and the regulars who always check in with the reviews- you know who you are. ;) Your comments, theories and thoughts are always a delight. To the new followers: don't be afraid to post your own comments! :D

ALSO, I've got a new one-shot up on my page, featuring young Sephiroth. Go check it out if you haven't already. :D


	27. Chapter 6: Ingus

*Thanks to all my fans!*

* * *

Chapter 6: Ingus

"So…" Zack raised an eyebrow at Cissnei. "You bet your friend that we'd hijack the airship?"

They sat alone in the stable. Elfé had asked Zack to find out any useful information, banking on his prior friendship with the Turk. Meanwhile, the swordswoman was conducting her own less-than-friendly interrogation of Freyra in the meeting room.

"You were in town, you were counting on meeting with Cid, and the president decided to confiscate the _Highwind_," Cissnei pointed out, "It just seemed like the stars were aligned, so to speak. Maybe not hijack it per se, but I figured you'd do something crazy."

"Am I really that predictable?" Zack asked with a grin.

Cissnei raised her hands, which were no longer restrained, thanks to the SOLDIER. "In a word: yes."

Zack shook his head and smiled.

"But…" Cissnei hesitated before continuing, "…I'm glad we're in this mess together. I have to admit, things do get a little more exciting when you're around."

"So why do you look like we're going to a funeral?" Zack indicated the grim expression on her face.

_Because I've broken the unofficial credo of the Turk, to not ask questions,_ she thought. _But I have to know why they declared you dead, and even sent me to your parents with ashes that turned out to be fake. I've also elected not to complete my mission to get the Highwind back to Midgar, thus breaking the _official_ credo. I'm letting down the only people who gave a damn about me, and hoping they believe the lie I've concocted about being captured. I still don't know what's happened to the women in Project T…_

"You know me," she said, managing a weak smile, "I'm used to playing by the rules. I'm not good at this kind of thing."

"Well, good thing you have me around," Zack stated confidently as he put his arm around her shoulder. "I'll show you how it's done."

Cissnei stiffened involuntarily at the gesture, yet couldn't help but feel somewhat happy. She looked up at her old friend, and as she saw him grinning at her, she suddenly burst out laughing.

"I suppose I won't be bored, will I?" she remarked.

"In a word: no," Zack said, gently mocking her earlier words.

* * *

"How is it that you know Genesis?" Elfé asked curtly as she sat at the long table in the meeting room.

Freyra, sitting across from her, sighed, looking slightly embarrassed. "I met him once. We were kids. My parents are…well off, let's say. They go around in the same social circles as the Rhapsodos family does…" She then winced and looked away. "Or rather…did."

"So you weren't actually friends?" Elfé pressed.

"No," Freyra answered, "We only met once at some stuffy outdoor gathering. I helped him play a prank. I was on the lookout, while he made some…creative alterations to an ice sculpture. When he unleashed his creation, a bunch of guests left in an outrage. That included my parents; they grabbed me and we left. I never saw him again. I didn't even learn his name until recently…nor did he learn mine."

"Did the Shinra purposely tamper with the oxygen tanks so that the launch would be sabotaged?" Elfé asked pointedly.

Freyra tilted her head and stared suspiciously at Elfé. "Funny, I was wondering the same exact thing about Avalanche," she shot back.

Elfé glared at the Turk.

"Oh, lighten up," Freyra said, leaning back in her chair. She then put her manacled hands in her lap. "We're stuck with one another, so shouldn't we at least _try_ to get along? I find it rather offensive that you trust those three SOLDIER boys, while I'm sitting here wearing restraints."

"They've proved themselves to be trustworthy so far," Elfé retorted, "That was after Genesis and Aerith vouched for them. Plus, they didn't beat up and imprison two innocent people."

"I already told you, that wasn't us!" Freyra argued.

"Yet you won't mention who _did_ do it," Elfé argued back.

"Would you rat out _your_ people?" Freyra countered, "No? Didn't think so."

"They wouldn't be the bald fellow and the man with the red pony-tail, would they?" Genesis asked as he sauntered into the room. He pulled up a chair and sat down at the table. "They were rather amusing when they tried to stop me from destroying my dear cousin's fancy ride. But the best part was destroying that gun your leader has attached to his arm before I knocked him and everyone else out cold. Not so tough without that thing, is he?"

"Well, now that you're here, you can corroborate our history," Freyra suggested, "I can tell that your friend doesn't seem to believe anything I say."

"You're in no position to give orders," Elfé snapped.

"Look…" Genesis said to Elfé, "We're half a mile above the ground. Luxiere is guarding the emergency parachutes. We've got an hour left before landing. Freyra's partner warned us that the Shinra were coming when she didn't have to do that. Why don't we…" He stood up and went over to Freyra, taking her wrists. "…just do away with these, since it's obvious neither of these two ladies are going anywhere." He pressed the button underneath the cuffs, causing them to pop open, releasing Freyra's hands.

Elfé stood up angrily. "Stop undermining me, Genesis!"

"Since when were you the leader?" Genesis objected, "Yes, you brought us to Cid, but now your part is done. Cid's the one getting us to the city, and after that, it's all up to Aerith. Everyone's doing their part. Don't get so wound up. Relax. Take a nap or something. I'll keep an eye on Miss Freyra, while Zack keeps an eye on the other one."

"And who will be keeping an eye on you?" Elfé asked bluntly.

"Have you no faith in me at all?" Genesis chided her.

"Do what you want," Elfé muttered angrily. She turned around and stalked out of the room.

"The female Sephiroth…" Genesis chuckled. He then turned to Freyra. "So, how have you been, these past ten years?"

Freyra, still rubbing her wrists, propped her feet up on the table. "Well, I joined this organization, the department of Administrative Research, but most people refer to us by our other name…"

Genesis smirked at Freyra's flippant reply. "Oh yeah?" he kidded, "What name would that be?"

"Uh, Tactical Unison Recon Killers," Freyra answered glibly, "Otherwise known as TURKs."

"Never heard of them," Genesis quipped as he dropped the cuffs on the table and sat down, "Nice people?"

Freyra broke her facade and began to laugh.

* * *

"I feel terrible about this," Aerith said as she sat in one of the cabins with Tifa. The young pugilist was sitting up on a small bed, having woken up only half-an-hour ago. "They really did a number on you."

"I don't remember much," Tifa said, scowling as she tried to recall the details. She then looked at Aerith. "So you're really an Ancient?"

"Half," Aerith answered, "My mother's the last pure Cetra."

"So that terrible place you spent the first few years of your life…" Tifa reasoned, "It was the Shinra, wasn't it?"

Aerith nodded somberly. "We had a gorgeous apartment, a big-screen TV, books to read, and three square meals a day. But half the time, my mother and I couldn't keep our food down because of all the experimental drugs the science department forced on us."

"And that's why you're with Avalanche now?" Tifa asked, "You said Sephiroth got you out of there. Did Avalanche help?"

"They helped afterward," Aerith said, "My mother just happened to end up marrying one of their leaders. But I believe in Avalanche's ideals regardless of who my family is. Freedom, rights for all sentient beings…"

"Sentient beings?" Tifa repeated uncomprehendingly.

Aerith grinned. "It's a big world, and it's not just a million humans and five Cetra. Maybe someday, I'll introduce you to my friends Deneh and Nanaki. In their species' years, they're about the same age as us."

"What are they? Elves?" Tifa asked.

Aerith burst out laughing as she pictured her old friends as small humanoids with pointy ears.

"Or do moogles really exist?" Tifa went on.

Aerith laughed even harder and shook her head. "Sorry…I'm not laughing at you. I just keep picturing my friends as elves and moogles…no, they don't exist."

"Ah, darn," Tifa joked, "I can't marry an elven prince and have little half-elf babies?"

"Maybe in another universe," Aerith kidded, "So how are you feeling now?"

"I'm ready to get out of bed and look around," Tifa said as she tossed the covers back and jumped out of the bed before stumbling slightly.

"Easy!" Aerith chided her friend, before the two left the cabin together.

* * *

"There you are…" Angeal said as he spotted Elfé looking over the railing into the engine below. "I was wondering where you'd disappeared to."

"I'm right here…" Elfé said dully.

"What's wrong? Angeal asked as he leaned against the railing, next to her.

"Maybe I'm just worn out," Elfé sighed, "It's been a crazy journey. Joining up with SOLDIERs, sharing the same space as Turks, then Corel, not to mention all this is being done with the blessing of only three members of Avalanche. Then on top of everything, an innocent girl and an old man end up getting the crap beaten out of them for being seen with _me._ I thought I'd covered my tracks…but then…what happened to Tifa and Master Zangan explains everything..."

"You've lost me," Angeal said, "Explains what?"

"Palmer knows who I am," Elfé said, "That's what I found out when I was interrogating that girl Freyra. There's a sketch of me in a Shinra database, and the townspeople were able to identify me. They must have seen Tifa and Aerith with me, and that's when the Turks found Tifa."

"She's awake now," Angeal reassured her, "I just saw her and Aerith walking around together."

"Well, that's Aerith for you," Elfé said, managing to smile just a little. "Where would we be without our healer?"

"So how is it that Palmer knows your face?" Angeal asked.

Elfé closed her eyes and heaved a big sigh.

"Mission gone wrong?" Angeal guessed.

"God, you have no idea…" Elfé said, shaking her head sadly.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay," Angeal told her.

"A couple of years ago," said Elfé, "I was sent to Midgar on an extended mission. When I was there, I…" She hesitated slightly before continuing: "…I met someone."

Angeal looked at the engine as it rumbled away. "Oh," he said, forcing a casual tone, "I didn't know you were involved with somebody."

"I'm not," Elfé told him, "It…didn't end well. Long story short…he died. He was the leader of a band of thieves. I spent a lot of time with him trying to recruit them all to Avalanche's cause, and we fell in love. Well…one day, one of his guys made a very _stupid_ decision without consulting me. I found out he was going to find Palmer, who always went to the same coffee shop five days a week. I guess he wanted to 'send a message' by killing him. I got there just as he was aiming his gun at Palmer." She laughed bitterly. "That idiot couldn't use a gun to save his life! He missed, and all hell broke loose. We were able to get out, and made it back to the Sector Three hideout. I thought we'd gotten away, no harm, no foul.

"But that night, there was a raid. Several MPs burst in and shot up the place. A hundred bandits are still no match for a dozen assault rifles. I got out, along with a few other kids, including our hacker friend Jessie. My…friend…Shears…he wasn't so lucky. One moment he was there, and the next, the top half of his head was missing."

Angeal sighed. "I'm really sorry," he said gently.

"It's…" Elfé scrubbed at her eyes. "…one of the times I wish I'd still had that materia implanted in my arm. I know I could have saved them all, with a few lightning-fast slices. But…I don't have 'superpowers' anymore. I'm just a normal swordswoman. I don't even have mako enhancements."

"Sephiroth said that having that materia piece inside of you would have eventually proven fatal," Angeal pointed out, "He said that the piece of materia was draining your soul in an attempt to restore itself, and that it never would have. You would have died long before it could ever be repaired."

"When you see someone you care deeply about get his brains blown out right in front of you, you don't think about those things," Elfé explained sadly, "You simply wish you could trade your life for theirs."

"Did you ever tell Aerith about that?" Angeal asked.

Elfé shook her head no. "I told her mother, I guess because I knew she would be able to relate…having someone important to you shot before your eyes."

"She's the one who got you ready for surgery, isn't she?" Angeal had recalled Sephiroth telling him the story of Elfé when the three of them were first making the drive up to Cosmo Canyon.

"She said she was lending me the power of the Lifestream to keep my body sound during such a delicate operation," Elfé recalled, "She was also there to hold my hand when they were putting me under. Let's just say that Sephiroth isn't the only one who sees her as a surrogate mother. Plenty of youngsters in Cosmo Canyon are a bit jealous of the Duran kids for having Ifalna as a mother. Hell…plenty of men are jealous of Master Barnabas…though that's mostly because he was the first guy who had the nerve to ask her out. It makes them think that if they had moved sooner, she would have said yes to them. Poor fools."

"Aerith seems to have that same kind of magnetism to her," said Angeal.

"So it would seem…" Elfé agreed as she saw Aerith coming out of the cabin area, surrounded by Zack, Tifa, Kunsel and Shera. She was flipping through her sketch journal, showing them her drawings.

"Like I said," Angeal said to her, "Tifa's just fine, as you can see."

"_All right, everyone, pay attention!_" Cid's voice came on the speaker system again. "_We're approaching some really nasty-looking storm clouds. In the interest of not crashing the airship, we'll have to make an emergency landing directly south of the Northern Continent. There's a village we can wait out the storm in._"

"Huh?" Elfé exclaimed as she wiped her eyes one last time.

"Let's see what's going on," Angeal suggested.

The two hurried over to the cockpit.

* * *

It turned out everyone else had the same idea. While Shera and the two trainees took over the controls, Cid was trying in vain to field questions from twelve people at once.

"All right, everyone just shut up for a minute!" he yelled, finally getting everyone to stop clamoring for answers. "Thank you! Now, you can't see it now, because we've already turned around, but we had some very dark cumulonimbus storm clouds up where Bone Village would be. Considering how we left the Shinra, I'd rather not take the risk of crashing the _Highwind_. I can build another airship, but not from a prison in Midgar. So instead, we'll be landing on a large island south of the continent."

Genesis took out a map and opened it up. "The three islands between Costa Del Sol and the peninsula south of Bone Village?"

"Yup. The largest of the islands."

"You're saying you plan to land near Ingus?" Genesis questioned him further.

Cid nodded. "Exactly. You know your geography."

"Angeal usually drives, I usually navigate," Genesis explained, "Sephiroth usually takes a nap in the back of the truck."

"How long until the storm passes?" Sephiroth asked, ignoring Genesis.

"The sun'll be down by the time that happens," Cid answered, "Personally, I think we should just spend the night."

Sephiroth nodded. "That's probably a good idea."

Everyone murmured in agreement.

"We got five minutes before we make out descent," Cid announced, "That said, some of you have probably seen that there's seat-belts on the chairs in the meeting room. Head on over there, sit down, and buckle up. If you thought takeoff was bumpy…" He then trailed off, chuckling.

* * *

Ingus was a village that was considered to have been largely ignored by most of the modern world. While the residents had hydroelectricity courtesy of a large waterfall, modern conveniences such as broadcast television, radio and network access were almost nonexistent. TV sets attached to VCR's, record and tape players, and older models of offline computers were the best that one could hope to see in the town that time had forgotten.

Due to the surrounding seas, drilling for mako was nearly impossible. This guaranteed the residents a Shinra-free existence. The air was clean, and the ecosystem was largely intact. The fertile lands made Ingus a thriving farming village, especially since it was situated between both Bone Village and Costa Del Sol, who frequently bought their produce and livestock.

Cid docked the _Highwind_ on the south beach, as far away from the waves as he could. Wanting to keep his airship safe from the rising tides, he dropped several heavy anchors onto the sand, with the help of all the mako-enhanced men on board. Zangan had offered to help as well, until Zack had asked him pointedly about his "bad back". Abruptly, the striking master had a sudden "spasm attack", electing to lie down on the soft sand, much to Tifa's embarrassment.

It was only a mile to town, which the gang was able to reach in good time.

A large church stood in the middle of the village square, with a town hall to the right, and a police/fire station to the left. Across the street stood a small row of shops, consisting of a large general store, a bakery, an old-fashioned "Soda Shoppe" that thrived in the summer, and a blacksmith. Off to the side, a busy farmer's market was in full swing, with dozens of villagers milling about and examining the many fruits and vegetables available. Four roads on all sides led off into the residential areas.

"So this is Ingus…" Angeal mused, "Well, it means we're almost at our destination. And, no Shinra."

"Let's find an inn," Elfé suggested, "We should also head over to that general store and find some new clothes for our new 'hostages'."

Cissnei and Freyra, no longer wearing their jackets or ties, glanced at one another. Freyra shrugged.

"It's been a while since I had the chance to do some shopping," she said. She then turned to Cissnei and grinned as everyone walked ahead of them. "Don't worry, Shuriken- I'll help you."

"I'm pretty sure I can outfit myself just fine, Shotgun," Cissnei maintained.

"Not very original with nicknames, are you?" Genesis kidded as he and Sephiroth walked past them.

"It must be a Shinra thing," Sephiroth surmised, remembering the uninspired "code names" Hojo had given to Shuroya and Kimu ages ago.

"Why settle for 'fine'?" Freyra asked, ignoring the men as she threw an arm around her friend's shoulder, "Let's live a little! We've crossed over to the other side…at least for now."

"For now?" Cissnei protested, "Whatever's going on with Zack and his friends, not to mention our 'sisters'…we can't deny that things have been getting seriously out of hand. On top of it all, I feel _very_ vulnerable without my weapon."

Freyra's expression sobered slightly. "I know, Ciss. I do too…but what's the one of our unofficial credos?"

"Keep our noses clean, which we completely disregarded," Cissnei said pointedly.

"We keep things as upbeat as possible," Freyra reminded her, "Once we get to the inn, we'll join up with your SOLDIER friends and start contacting whoever we need to contact. For now…let's go shopping."

"Hey, stay where we can see you!" Elfé yelled from up ahead.

"Yessir!" Freyra called out jokingly. She and Cissnei then hurried over to the general store where Elfé, Aerith and Tifa were waiting.

* * *

Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis found a small bed &amp; breakfast that was normally empty due to a lack of regular travelers. The building was owned by an elderly couple who once raised six children in the massive house. Now, they lived off of an adequate retirement fund, and the little money they earned when the occasional group of excavators from Bone Village passed through. Usually the workers would travel from island to island by boat, on their way to a few hard-earned weeks in Costa Del Sol.

The three swordsmen were now sitting comfortably in the living room/lobby with the couple, listening to the old man telling them all about life in Ingus.

"Excuse me, but does that radio actually work?" Genesis interrupted as he pointed to a large old-fashioned radio sitting in the corner. It was made entirely of wood, with enormous built-in speakers making up roughly 80% of the body. On the top was a phonograph with a record already in place.

The old man smiled proudly. "Only two other residences have one," he told them, "All of them were enhanced and customized by our three resident boy geniuses. That was thirty years ago, but they still work beautifully, and can pick up signals from hundreds of miles away. These radios are our link to the outside world, even though the news is rarely pretty."

"Junior, Jiro and Hiro..." the woman said nostalgically, with a hint of sadness in her voice, "Those boys were never long for a place like Ingus. They always talked about making it big in Midgar. Even back then, Midgar was the place where the streets were paved with gold."

"I wouldn't blame them for leaving," Genesis said bluntly, "Small villages probably aren't the best environments for brilliant minds. Despite the circumstances, I'm still glad I left Banora."

"Don't be rude," Angeal automatically chided him.

The old woman's expression went from nostalgic to downright melancholy. "The grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side," she said quietly.

Sephiroth was about to ask her what she meant when the door opened. In walked Zack, Kunsel and Luxiere conversing happily amongst themselves. Despite still being worried about their respective families, their good humor had at least returned somewhat since learning about their false KIA status.

"Everything's all set," Angeal told the three SOLDIERs, "They have just enough room for those of us who are staying in town."

Cid and his two assistants had decided early on to sleep in the cabins on the Highwind, wanting to make sure the large vessel would be safe from more than just the weather and the tides. Cid had been worried about potential vandals, vowing to break the arms and legs of anyone who dared to mess with his "baby".

"Cool," Zack said as he sat down on a sofa.

"That church sure is beautiful," Kunsel said to the elderly couple, "Reminds me of the church in Sector Five, except it actually gets used."

"Is Midgar your home?" Angeal asked him.

Kunsel shook his head. "Not exactly. I just pass it every time I visit this one family I'm friends with for Sunday dinner."

"Oh, right," Zack said, "The ex-army man with the missing leg?"

"It's just his foot," Kunsel corrected him, "The rest of his leg's fine. He's just got a prosthetic foot. You'd never even notice anything's wrong except he uses a cane."

Sephiroth froze as his blood suddenly ran cold.

"Kunsel gets free meals at the house of a disabled vet," Zack explained to Angeal, "Lucky son-of-a…" He then glanced at the elderly couple and looked at the floor self-consciously. "…gun."

Sephiroth wished the room wasn't so crowded. He wanted to privately ask Kunsel the name of the veteran. He hoped to hell it was Wolff…that he was alive and well with the wife he always talked about, in spite of what Sephiroth had done to him.

"Hey, does this thing work?" Zack asked as he walked over to the radio and began fiddling with the dial.

"Sorry," Angeal said apologetically to the couple, "Sometimes he's like a puppy. Has to sniff around everything."

"Nothing wrong with a young fellow's curiosity," the old man chuckled.

"You all make me sound like a little kid," Zack grumbled self-consciously.

_"__And here's Mendez Pollendina with your five-o' clock news!" _a voice announced from the radio as fast-paced "news music" jittered from the speakers. _"Straight to you from Costa Del Sol!"_

"Costa Del Sol?!" Kunsel exclaimed, "How are you able to get a broadcast all the way from there?"

"Shh!" Angeal shushed everyone, waving his hand, "We should be paying attention to this."

_"__It looks like Cid Highwind, grandson of airplane inventor Fenix Highwind, and heir to the Highwind legacy, has been abducted by members of the terrorist group Avalanche early this afternoon,"_ announced a voice with a heavy Costan accent, _"Several members of the army including SOLDIER, and also the Department of Administrative Affairs, have been called to the scene of the kidnapping. A female scientist and two protégés of Highwind's were reportedly taken as well. This happened after this morning's launching of the Shinra 26 rocket failed. It is unknown if…"_

"Shinra nonsense," the old woman groaned as she stood up and walked over to the back door. "I'll be outside if anyone needs me."

"I'll come with you, Momma," the old man said as he got up and hurried after her.

The news announcer was now speaking Costan.

"He's just repeating the story for the native audiences," Sephiroth announced as he went over to the radio and shut it off.

"You speak Costan?" Kunsel asked, impressed.

"And Wutain," Sephiroth answered.

"You're like a video game cheat code," Luxiere said enviously, "All your stats are maxed out."

"I have no idea what that means," Sephiroth said flatly.

"So they're dressing it up as a kidnapping," Genesis said, directing the conversation back to what they had just heard. "Well, there you have it. I wonder what Shinra's angle is this time?"

"Perhaps they're covering for you so nobody finds out that their big 'ray of hope' turned on them?" Angeal suggested sardonically.

"I covered my tracks just fine, thank you," Genesis shot back.

"For someone who's so seriously ill, you still know how to stir things up," Sephiroth remarked.

"They didn't mention the Turks we took with us," Angeal pointed out, "Probably because the public hates them so much."

Just then, Genesis' PHS began to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket and checked the number.

"Who's that?" Angeal asked suspiciously.

"Nobody," Genesis said casually as he silenced his phone and stuffed it back into his pocket, "Wrong number."

* * *

"You _idiot!_" Hollander yelled into his phone after Genesis' voicemail greeting ended, "Showing up in broad daylight like that?! You're making it _very_ hard for me to cover for you all the time! You'd better hope that those three Turks you took out don't come out of their comas, and if they do, you'd better hope they don't remember anything! You're lucky that Rufus was knocked out cold before he could see your face! And you're lucky that my spy bribed the MP that was the only witness to your antics! Otherwise I'd be hearing about this from the _president!_ How could I possibly look out for you if _he_ were to find out?! You were _dangerously_ close to blowing everybody's cover! _All_ of our asses are on the line! Next time, _think_ before you act up like that!"

He hung up, seething.

* * *

Aerith couldn't help but cover her ears the next morning, trying to block out the extremely long string of profanity coming out of Cid's mouth. She watched as the pilot kicked bottom of the hull, and then let out a howl that was more out of physical pain than frustration. Everybody else stood around awkwardly watching him, not knowing what to do.

Cid may have been a pilot, mechanic, and an engineer, but one thing he wasn't, was a meteorologist. The storm that he had been so certain would move east, moved south while the group slept peacefully at the bed &amp; breakfast. Only Shera had noticed what was going on, and had braved the storm to see if Cid and his trainees needed any help. However, she arrived just in time to see a bolt of lightning strike the side, damaging one of the propellers. Fortunately, neither Cid, Brick nor Lenny had been injured.

"What do we need to do to fix the problem?" Sephiroth asked Cid.

"See if that blacksmith has enough metal to melt down so we can fix the fucking propeller!" Cid growled as he hopped around on one leg, "And find some ice for my goddamned foot!"

"I'll take care of your foot," Aerith sighed as she went over to Cid, "Sit down."

"No, no…" Cid sighed, still clearly frustrated, "Don't waste any of that good materia on my account."

"I'm not using materia," Aerith told him as she took his foot and removed his boot. His sock had come off as well, and she instantly recoiled at both the sight and smell.

"Heh- sorry," Cid chuckled, "Guess I shoulda warned you. Had that fungus for years."

"No…" Aerith lied, shuddering, "It's fine. I can take care of that too…I guess."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cid asked as Aerith moved her hands up and down on either side of Cid's foot, careful not to touch the crusty skin. The pilot then stared in shock as the crust began to dissipate, and his white toenails were restored to a more natural color and healthy condition.

"That was so disgusting…!" Aerith whimpered as she stood up and ran away.

"Hey- what about my other foot?" Cid called out after her, "Now I got one foot with fungus, and the other looks like it belongs to a goddamned woman!"

"Remind me the next time I get drunk!" Aerith called back.

* * *

"There's nothing I can really do," the blacksmith said to Cid and Sephiroth as they stood inside his shop, "All of the metal you see here has been promised to customers. I can't disrupt my business like that. It's a small town and we all depend on each other. Not just us, but the other farms scattered around the island. Very delicate balance.

"However, there's a guy on the edge of town who buys and sells all kinds of junk. He doesn't just deal with the townspeople and farmers, but with the excavators up in Bone Village as well. I know he's always got plenty of scrap metal. He's a metallurgist himself, so he could even help you with smelting if you paid him enough."

"Let's hope we have enough to cover the cost," Sephiroth mused.

"We'd need a pretty big sheet," Cid told the blacksmith, "We'd probably need to take the propeller over to him if he's got the means to heat up the metal. Anyone around here got a wagon to carry it with?"

The blacksmith nodded. "There's a farmer about a mile away who has plenty of those, not to mention chocobos. I'm sure he'll lend you both…for a price."

"Always a price," Cid sighed, "Ah well. I suppose I'd charge too if it were me. Where's his house?"

"He's probably at church now," the blacksmith answered, "He's a very devout man. Myself, I'm a Gaian, so I keep my store open, even on Sundays. He'll probably be out in about an hour. Ask for Fred."

"Great…" muttered Cid.

"As for the junk man," the blacksmith continued, "his name's Jiro. Walk down the western road and just keep going until it ends. It'll be the house on your right. You really can't miss it."

Sephiroth scowled, remembering the name _Jiro_ being mentioned before. Was it the same Jiro who had helped enhance the radio from the bed &amp; breakfast? Didn't the couple imply that he and the other two people had left for greener pastures?

"All right, then," Cid said as he turned to go, "Thanks, Mister."

"Thank you for your help," Sephiroth said sincerely. He turned and began following Cid.

"My pleasure, gentlemen!" the blacksmith called as they left.

"I guess now's as good a time as any to go eat some breakfast," Cid sighed, "Then I'd better find my tools so we can start taking the propeller off. Maybe by the time we're done, that farmer'll be done with church."

"I'll go find this Jiro fellow," Sephiroth offered.

"Good luck," Cid told him as he walked away.

Sephiroth nodded as he spotted the sun, still hanging slightly in the eastern sky. He then turned his head, spotting a dirt road in the opposite direction and began to follow it.

"There you are."

Sephiroth spun around, startled. He spotted Aerith approaching him, smiling as always.

"Wow, I actually spooked you?" she giggled, "That's happened maybe…twice?"

Indeed, Sephiroth was slightly alarmed that he hadn't even noticed her approaching him. Aerith may have been an adequate fighter, but she was hardly what one would call stealthy.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"There's a man who might be able to sell us scrap metal," Sephiroth explained, "I'm going to ask him if he has enough to help fix Cid's propeller."

"Mind if I walk with you?" Aerith asked innocently.

"Not at all. Follow me, it's right up the road."

They began walking together at a leisurely pace.

"That was nice of you to heal Cid's foot," Sephiroth couldn't help but tease her slightly.

Aerith grimaced. "Sometimes I think I'm _too_ nice…" she muttered.

"You're going to fix the other foot eventually…aren't you?" Sephiroth prodded while looking away, smirking.

"…Yes," she admitted miserably.

Sephiroth glanced at her, sensing it was more than Cid's foot fungus that was bothering her.

As if reading his thoughts, Aerith caught his glance. "We'll be _there_ soon. Then it's my turn to take over."

_There_. The City of Ancients. The place where her mother had been found wandering the streets like a lost lamb, remembering nothing except for her own name.

"The planet will guide you," Sephiroth reminded her, "won't it?"

Aerith nodded. "I hope its message is clear. Sometimes things just come out so muddy when it speaks to me. Well…you've seen me before. I hope I don't come off looking crazy to everyone else."

"To hell with what they think," Sephiroth told her right away, "In any case- you've been there to heal their wounds, and they've been grateful every step of the way. Why would they think poorly of you now?"

Aerith smiled sheepishly. "You're right. I'm just being silly." She took his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. "Thanks for always being my 'common sense'."

Sephiroth nodded as she then let go and turned around. He sighed inwardly as he watched Aerith picking up a stick and idly dragging the tip through the dirt while she continued to walk. As they continued to walk down the now deserted road, he found himself wrestling with his thoughts once again.

Would he feel better if he waited, perhaps? Would the guilt be less if he let her turn eighteen, graduate from school, and start living her adult life before he made a move on her?

_To let this visually pleasing, sweet-smelling fruit before me ripen…_he thought. He then cringed. _God, I should have known better than to borrow Genesis' poetry books when I was bored…_

Could she ever love him like that? To her, he had been an older brother for the first five years of her life. But was it possible that the twelve years spent apart might undo whatever reverse-imprinting might have occurred back then? God, but he hoped so. For her to be open to the idea…to let him have her the way he couldn't deny wanting her…he had wondered many times now what that would be like. He had experienced a few dreams now where she had looked up at him trustingly as he laid her down on the ground, bed…wherever.

He shut his mind off again, deciding that an involuntary physical reaction to those thoughts was the last thing Aerith needed to see while he was supposed to be protecting her on their journey. He glanced downwards, seeing nothing shifting in his pants…for now. This was going to be very difficult. Would he even make a good bodyguard with this conflict inside his head(both of them)?

But what was the other option? To have let her go alone, having rarely been outside the safety of Cosmo Canyon since she was only five years old? Even if Elfé had been the only one to escort her, he worried about the swordswoman too, albeit as a friend. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to either of the girls. Plus, his presence meant Angeal would be there too, and Aerith needed all the help she could get. And now, he had the comfort of knowing that the large group of oddballs they'd amassed would make sure she reached her destination.

And after that? What would happen to the group? Would any of the Shinra refugees try to leave? Start over in an isolated village much like Ingus? Plea for clemency with the Shinra? He knew for sure that Avalanche would not want them despite the valuable inside information they provided. Should they declare themselves an independent resistance group? Give themselves a silly name and continue to fight the good fight, as Luxiere had suggested?

Sephiroth then snapped out of his thoughts, seeing that they had arrived at their destination. He and Aerith stood at the end of the street, which led off into a large field. On either side of them stood two old houses, facing across from each other. He then realized to his chagrin, that Aerith had been talking to him, and was now looking expectantly at him, as if waiting for a response.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" he asked apologetically.

"I said it looks like there isn't much to do around here but walk around," Aerith said, looking up at the sky, "I never knew a town could be so quiet. I guess it's a nice place to hide away from the world. If my father had picked this town to hide in, I wonder if Hojo might have even found us?" She looked up at the sky, squinting at the morning sunlight before sliding her father's sunglasses down from her forehead to her eyes. "I suppose he'd still be alive, and I'd have a whole different set of brothers and sisters. They'd probably be a little closer to my age, but…"

Aerith's eyes had traveled over to the mailbox right in front of her. She immediately gasped as she read the name on the side:

Gast, Faremis Sr. &amp; Moira

"Seph…" Aerith spoke, finally finding her voice, "You need to see this…"

No answer.

"Sephiroth!" Aerith turned around and looked at Sephiroth, who was standing in front of the mailbox across the street.

"No…" he said quietly, "You need to see _this_…"

"No, Seph, really, there's something-!" Aerith began to say as she marched over to him. As she approached, he moved aside, revealing the name on the other mailbox:

Hojo, J.

* * *

A/N: Yeah, so no Shears. Sorry, Before Crisis fans. That's the problem with these ripples…sometimes bad things happen as well.

I decided not to bother rehashing the whole "failure to launch" in the previous chapter. Play the game again if you want to see it. Seeing it from the gang's POV was more fun to write, along with the presumed aftermath involving the Highwind being confiscated.

I'm not the first one to use that acronym for "TURK". It's a somewhat popular FF7 fanfiction element, just like Tseng and Rufus being dead, or Lucrecia's last name being LeVrai, before Dirge gave her the surname "Crescent".


	28. Chapter 7: Origins

Chapter 7: Origins

"Aerith, what do you think you're doing?" Sephiroth asked sharply as he watched her walk up the steps and onto the front porch of the house bearing the name _Gast_.

She turned to look at him. "How many people named 'Faremis Gast' do you know?" she asked, "It's not exactly common, like 'Claire Farron' or 'Locke Cole'."

"You don't just go up to a stranger's door and…" Sephiroth protested before realizing that Aerith was completely ignoring him. "For Gaia's sake…" he muttered as Aerith began ringing the doorbell.

The door soon opened, revealing an elderly woman with snow-white hair.

"Yes, can I help you?" she asked politely. She then took a good look at Aerith, and her face suddenly turned pale. "Oh my…!" she gasped, bringing a hand to her face. She exhaled slowly and leaned against the door frame, seemingly out of breath.

"Ma'am, are you all right?" Aerith asked, slightly alarmed. She opened the screen door and stood behind the woman, ready to catch her if she were to topple over.

"I'm sorry…" The woman looked and sounded as if she were about to cry. "It's just…those sunglasses…they look identical to the ones my son always used to wear. They were practically his trademark..."

Aerith took her backpack off and opened it. She reached in and pulled her sketchbook out. "His name…" she said nervously, "…wouldn't happen to be Professor Faremis Gast…would it?" She then opened the book and took out the sketch of her father, which she had elected to take off of her bedroom wall and bring with her for luck.

"Oh my goodness…" the woman's voice was trembling along with her hands as she took the paper and looked at it. "Junior…!" She looked up at Aerith. "Who drew this?"

"I did," Aerith's voice was barely a whisper. She then took off the sunglasses and hung them off the front of her rash guard.

The woman gasped. "Those eyes…!"

Sephiroth finally approached the front door, quietly watching the scene unfolding before him.

"Ma'am…" Aerith said nervously, "You said these sunglasses belonged to your son…if that's true…then I think I might be-,"

"-Aerith," the woman said, pointing at the girl, "The minute I saw those eyes…" she trailed off, shaking her head, "Well, come with me…both of you."

Sephiroth opened the screen door and stepped inside. He and Aerith followed the old woman into the living room. A slender bespectacled old man with a white mustache(matching what little hair he had left on his head) was sprawled out on the sofa, an open newspaper draped across his chest.

"Dear!" the woman exclaimed loudly, "Wake up!"

The old man jolted awake, the newspapers spilling onto the floor. "What happened?" he asked, looking around sleepily.

"Honey…" The old woman had gone from teary to excited. "Look! Just look!"

"What's going on?" her husband asked, still confused.

"It's Junior's little girl!" she answered as she went over to the fireplace, grabbing a photograph off of the mantelpiece. She went over to Aerith and handed her the framed 5x8 picture.

Aerith's hand flew up to her mouth as she saw her parents seated next to one another, smiling proudly for the camera, while in Ifalna's lap lay a sleeping newborn.

"My god…" Sephiroth said, peering over Aerith's shoulder, "You and your mother look so much alike when you smile, it's uncanny."

"You knew our son's wife?" the old man asked.

"Almost exactly as long as Aerith has been alive," Sephiroth answered, placing a hand on Aerith's shoulder. "Forgive me…my name is Sephiroth. I'm an old friend of the family."

As much as he wanted to know if the house across the street was a similar story(The idea of the two families being neighbors was even stranger than the idea of Sephiroth having grandparents), he held his peace for the time being. This was Aerith's moment of good fortune.

"Well, I'm Moira, and this is Faremis Sr.," the old woman introduced herself and her husband.

"How'd you find us?" the elder Faremis asked as he stood up and adjusted his suspenders. He then went over to Aerith. "Let me look at you. These eyes aren't what they used to be." He stared carefully at the young woman who was supposedly his granddaughter.

"I literally stumbled across your mailbox," Aerith admitted, "Our friends and I were on our way up north, but there was a storm ahead, so we stopped here to spend the night and wait it out."

"Is that what the giant aircraft is all about?" Gast Sr. chuckled, "Three of our friends called us this morning telling us about it. We haven't been there to check it out, but one of them sent us a picture on our smart phone."

He pulled out a current-generation model PHS and began fiddling with it before showing a picture of the _Highwind._

"That's some rather advanced technology you have," Sephiroth remarked, "We haven't seen much of it here."

"We're not exactly like your typical family in Ingus," Moira chuckled, "Faremis has always been a technology nut. Curious to a fault, this one. He passed that curiosity down to Junior."

"Who then passed it on to Aerith," Sephiroth quipped.

"Do you have any other children?" Aerith asked.

"Our daughter Estelle has a girl who's about your age," Moira answered, "She lives over in Midgar, up on the plate. She's the one who sends her father all of his gadgets. I don't know what it is about Midgar that was so attractive to our children. She later stayed there to try and find out what really happened to Junior when he died. She never believed that he had an 'undiagnosed congenital heart defect'. Neither did we, but she never did get anywhere in her investigation."

"I know what happened," Aerith said solemnly, "He was murdered by his own colleague not long after he sent you that photograph."

Rather than looking shocked, the Gasts simply fell silent. Gast Sr. leaned forward, looking at Aerith. "Was it Kazuhiro?" he asked grimly.

"Who?" Aerith asked, confused.

"Hojo," Sephiroth interjected morosely, "'Kazuhiro' is his given name." He looked at the elderly couple. "Yes…it was him. He ordered your son shot by members of the old Midgar army."

"You know him personally?" Gast Sr. asked.

"Unfortunately…" Aerith answered, her voice slightly bitter.

"As much as I hate to say it, he's my father," Sephiroth admitted.

"Oh my goodness!" Moira gasped, "Oh…I knew there was something familiar about you…now I see it's the hair!"

"It's not my natural hair color," Sephiroth told her, clearly displeased with being compared to his father. "I colored it because my natural color stands out, due to a melanin deficiency. In addition to that, I'm a wanted fugitive. My 'dear father' kept me in a lab for most of my youth. I escaped along with Aerith and her mother, who were also kept as prisoners after your son was killed.

"And another thing…" Sephiroth's expression and tone turned solemn. "…I had the pleasure of knowing Professor Gast when I was a small child. He showed me what it was like to receive respect…and in return, he was the first person I ever respected. He even helped me learn how to read when I was very little. He was a fine man. You clearly raised him well, and I am truly sorry for your loss."

Both Moira and her husband found themselves blinking back tears at Sephiroth's heartfelt statement. Aerith looked away, also visibly moved.

"He rarely mentioned anything in his letters," Gast Sr. sighed, "Promotions, raises, or maybe he'd try to explain an experiment he was conducting, and try to describe it in layman's terms as best as he could. Then for a year…nothing. We didn't know if he was alive or dead. Then one day, we received that photograph, along with a letter telling us what had happened." The old man grimaced before continuing: "The letter disappeared two days later…after a surprise visit from Kazuhiro. Only a few days after that, we received the letter of condolence from Shinra Inc."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "Hojo came here?"

"No, not _here_," said Moira, "Across the street…to see his brother Jiro. They hadn't spoken in years…not since Jiro quit working for the Shinra. Jiro had told us, and Junior backed him up…that Kazuhiro was mistreating his fiancée…and that eventually, she committed suicide."

Sephiroth closed his eyes. "Only a few days after giving birth to me…" he said softly, "I don't even know what she looked like…"

"I'm so sorry," Moira said sympathetically.

"Jiro had a few photographs of her," Gast Sr. spoke up, "He used to work in Shinra's engineering department."

"Engineering? I was told he was a metallurgist," Sephiroth recalled.

"He majored in both," Gast Sr. explained, "Junior and Hiro majored in biochemistry. Jiro burned out and came back here after only a few years in Midgar. Junior held on seven more years before he left. Hiro, as you both know, stayed."

"Was he always such a cruel person?" Aerith asked.

"Heavens, no..." Moira answered sadly, "He was so painfully shy when we first met him. But he did start to harden a bit as he got older. You see…he and Jiro were cast out by the other children. Their parents never let them play with the brothers due to the mother they had. She was absolutely wicked, that woman. But we used to see the two playing together out front, always creating something. We could tell they were very bright, despite such a toxic home environment. Then one day, we saw Junior with them. The brothers were designing a simple pulley system on the tree out front, and he decided to give them a hand. Well, we invited the boys to join us for dinner, and before we knew it, the Hojo brothers became Junior's two dearest friends."

The old woman picked up another photograph and showed it to Aerith and Sephiroth. In it were three boys. Aerith assumed that the boy with the dark brown hair was her father. He stood in the center, smiling as he held up a microscope with a bow on it. Perhaps it had been his birthday? On the left stood a taller boy with wild black hair and glasses, looking slightly uneasy. Sephiroth knew it had to be Hojo.

To the right stood a boy with equally messy black hair. However, he wore a big smile on his face as he had his arm around Faremis Gast Jr.

"That was Junior's eleventh birthday," Moira explained, "All he wanted was a microscope, and to spend the day with his two 'best buddies', as he always referred to them as. Jiro was the same age as Junior. Kazuhiro was three years older, and for a long time, they were almost part of the family."

"This feels so surreal," Aerith said softy.

"I completely agree with you," Sephiroth said to her.

Moira stood up. "Jiro really should be here," she said, "I'm going to go bring him over."

"That's right," Sephiroth realized, "We were supposed to go talk to him about finding some scrap metal for the airship. It was damaged when the storm ended up making it down here last night."

"Well then, Jiro's your man," Gast Sr. declared cheerfully, "But he's an eccentric fellow. He doesn't open up the junkyard until noon, mostly because he doesn't wake up until eleven. Ever since his wife died and his kids moved out, it's been like that. Forty-six years old and that man has the sleep schedule of a twenty-year-old."

"It's ten 'o clock right now," Sephiroth observed.

"He'll just have to make an exception, then," Moira said, "Besides…it might make you feel better to know that not all of the Hojos are terrible people. And I know he'll want to know all about you."

"God, look at you…" Gast Sr. sighed, staring at Aerith, "You're the spitting image of Junior's wife…amazing. Didn't inherit much from Junior though, did you?"

"I think she inherited a lot of his personality," Sephiroth clarified, "Both of them have an insatiable curiosity…sometimes too much for their own good. Her mother often joked that she was there to protect him from himself." An amused expression crossed his face. "Perhaps that's my purpose as well."

"Seph!" Aerith protested, turning slightly pink.

"If she's anything like Junior, then you'll have your work cut out for you," Gast Sr. chuckled.

Moira began to laugh as well.

"Hmph…!" Aerith crossed her arms and turned away, sulking.

"Sorry," Moira said, stifling her laughter, "Already we're poking fun at you…what kind of example are we setting? But your reaction was identical to how Junior would sulk. Your looks are identical to your mother's, but your mannerisms are identical to your father's. There's no doubt in my mind that you really _are_ our granddaughter, which is why Jiro absolutely _has_ to meet you. So if you'll excuse me…" She left the living room. A few seconds later, the screen door could be heard slamming shut.

* * *

Cissnei sat at a booth in the local diner, directly across from a grinning Zack. She looked at her plate of scrambled eggs and toast, and finally picked up her fork.

"You didn't have to buy me breakfast," she said before taking a bite of her eggs. Indeed, wasn't buying breakfast something people did after sleeping together?

And why did that idea suddenly appeal to her just now? Cissnei quickly pushed the thought out of her mind.

"Well, this is probably our last stop before the Ancient City," Zack told her, "I still owed you a date, but we'll probably be out of here before I have the chance to take you out to dinner, or maybe even lunch. So since it's the sure thing, breakfast on me will have to do."

"If that Elfé woman realizes you've been trying to woo me, rather than watching to make sure I don't stab you in the back," Cissnei kidded, "she might have you shackled and stuffed back in the airship."

"Good thing I hid the manacles used on Tifa and Zangan," Zack said smugly, "Anyway, Elfé's pretty much been keeping to herself since yesterday evening. I wouldn't worry too much about her."

"Fair enough," Cissnei said as she reached for her glass of juice and began to drink. When she put the glass down, she noticed Zack staring at her, still smiling. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Zack said, shaking his head, "Just…I'm glad you're here with us. I'm surprised, but glad. I figured you'd still be loyal to the Shinra, but maybe just look the other way as far as me and the guys were concerned."

"I…" Cissnei then decided she might as well come clean. "I have my own grievances that I wanted to investigate further…particularly with the science department. I suppose I'll just go ahead and tell you: Professor Hojo launched a new experiment, and he's recruited a few girls from the Turks. That's what he specifically wants: women from the Turks. Maybe it's because we're all in very good physical shape, or maybe he's too wary to recruit private citizens. After all, it would arouse suspicion if civilians were to volunteer for an experimental study and then disappear into thin air."

Zack frowned. "Disappear?"

"It's been three weeks," Cissnei told him, "We haven't heard a word from the women who signed up. Now, I'm sure the Turks will launch their own secret investigation, but given the series of events, I might as well look into the matter from the outside. Maybe…Avalanche should know about this. The issue is whether or not Elfé is willing to pass the word onto her superiors."

"I think she would," Zack said earnestly, "She doesn't strike me as being the type to let her personal feelings get in the way of doing what's right. If the Shinra is possibly harming their own people, that would be the perfect opportunity to take them on from the inside."

Cissnei stared at Zack, surprised. "You want to fight directly against the Shinra?"

"I don't want to see another incident like Corel happen again." Zack's tone was serious. "All this talk you mentioned to me, about turning Corel into some resort city…some expansion of the Gold Saucer, it sounds more like the Shinra are trying to cover their asses over what Scarlet did. I mean, there's no apology, and Scarlet still works for the Shinra as far as we know. No admission of guilt whatsoever. Plus, I see SOLDIER abusing their authority a lot of the time, which was not what I signed up for."

Cissnei nodded. "I stand by what the Turks stand for. Our dedication to loyalty, and getting the job done no matter what…I'll always support that. But I'm just going to come out and admit it: I no longer have any idea if we've been working for the right side all this time."

"So you do understand," Zack said, looking relieved.

"But what I want to know," Cissnei continued, "is if Avalanche is really that much better? They've bombed SOLDIER camps, they've murdered and attempted to murder Shinra officials. It was Avalanche who assassinated Scarlet's predecessor, only to try and take out Scarlet herself. And even if the Shinra empire collapses, what then?"

"You make a good point," Genesis said as he approached the table. "Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I can't help what I hear."

"Where's Freyra?" Cissnei asked.

"She's being monitored by Kunsel and Luxiere," Genesis answered as he sat down next to Zack. "That herbal tea Shera fixed me just isn't cutting it. I know Aerith told me to eat sensibly, but I imagine one bacon-egg-cheese sandwich won't do that much harm. I ordered up at the counter. And don't worry- it's to go. I'll stop being the third wheel on your little date once my order's ready."

"Gee, you're a pal," Zack said sardonically, while Cissnei looked away uncomfortably.

"Anyway, you're right about not putting all your faith into Avalanche. And it's not just because they don't trust me, now that they know I'm a Shinra cousin. What's to say Avalanche won't put someone in charge who's just as corrupt? Their leader seems to be a good man, but I don't see him as being a political leader. They would have to put someone else in, who might pull a bait-and-switch. Only no one will question it, because it's _not_ the Shinra."

"The power structure can't be the same," Zack agreed, "We'd need a _real_ democracy…not the one that the Shinra let the public _think_ is in place."

"Yes, but there's one problem," Genesis maintained, "You see, the Shinra really do know what they're doing as far as controlling the masses goes. They've spent the past nearly three decades turning Midgar's education system into a propaganda mill. It wouldn't be like cutting off the head of a serpent to decimate the Shinra. It would be like cutting off the head of a chicken; and he helpless citizens of Midgar would be the body. They would just run around in complete chaos before the megalopolis itself collapsed."

"I guess we've really got our work cut out for us…" Zack sighed.

Cissnei nodded in agreement.

* * *

Sephiroth sat at the dining room table in the Gast household, sitting directly across from the younger brother of his father and primary abuser from his childhood. He tried to hide his discomfort as Jiro Hojo leaned forward, staring right at him.

"Kazuhiro claimed that you were stillborn," the younger Hojo brother said, his eyes not leaving Sephiroth, "and that was why Lucrecia ultimately took her life."

Sephiroth stared back at the man, trying to wrap his head around the fact that both he and Aerith suddenly had extended families.

Jiro was taller than the elder Hojo brother, or perhaps he simply looked taller because his back was straight. He was lean, but not bony like his brother. His hair was long, but pulled up into a high ponytail. Time had clearly been kinder to the younger Hojo, and although his hair was greyer, he had far less wrinkles than his brother, and didn't seem to need glasses.

"I suppose that's because I'd have tried to get you out of there had I known," Jiro continued, "Just know that. In any case, you would have been practice for when I had my own boys." He leaned back in his chair, looking slightly amused. "That could have been interesting."

"How old?" Aerith asked curiously.

"One is twenty-two, the other is seventeen," Jiro answered, "Both have left the nest. The youngest one wanted to stick around for my sake. After my wife died, he worried I'd fall apart without his momma to keep me in line." The smirk he wore eerily mirrored Sephiroth's features, like a projection of the future. "I told him to get the hell out of the house. I never raised my kids to live for anyone's sake but their own. My own mother tried to force that 'parents come first' nonsense that most dysfunctional people pull on their offspring."

"Ah, so there seems to be a history of dysfunction in my family lineage," Sephiroth said dryly, "I can't say I'm very surprised."

"So how'd you turn out to be a relatively normal guy?" Aerith asked Jiro, "At least from what I've heard, anyway."

Jiro raised an eyebrow at her, smirking in a manner that eerily mirrored Sephiroth's own face. "Normal? That's an insult, little girl. It's simply a fact that _my_ brand of madness never hurt anyone. I suppose I got the lion's share of empathy in my family. Maybe because our father was already gone by the time I was born. Hiro never talked much about it, but our 'dear' mother always said to me when she was drunk, that if my father was still around, he'd have wiped the floor with me, had I given him the same 'attitude' I supposedly gave her. She then would give a few choice examples which I won't repeat."

"We usually let the boys sleep over here when their mother was on one of her benders," Gast Sr. explained somberly. "Granted, we didn't settle here in Ingus until Junior was already eight."

"Yes, we were on our own until then," Jiro acknowledged with a sigh.

"That explains it, I suppose," Aerith said, looking at her grandparents, "My mom was a positive force in Sephiroth's life, just like you two were for his uncle."

"I was also eight years old when I met her," Sephiroth recalled. He then looked at Jiro. "The same age as you were."

"Maybe it was just too late for Kazuhiro," Moira said, looking sad, "He was battling demons long before we moved here."

"I know Avalanche really has it in for the Shinra," Jiro sighed, "I suppose they wouldn't be too keen on meeting the relative of the infamous 'Professor Hojo', would they?"

"Only one of them is a true-blue member of Avalanche," Aerith explained, "We're just a ragtag bunch of misfits, if anything."

"She's right," Sephiroth acknowledged, "We've been joined by several Shinra refugees. First three members of SOLDIER, and now two Turks. We also ended up getting a few innocent civilians swept away with us. That is not how we wanted things to turn out, but so it goes."

"The original idea was that only five of us were going to go north," Aerith added, "But when Genesis found out that the Shinra murdered his parents and the people who worked on their estate, he took off. He wound up bringing the SOLDIERs, and one of those guys was friends with one of the Turks. Then we fell in with the younger brother of Avalanche's leader, and his martial arts student, who are now wanted by Shinra for being seen with the one member of Avalanche. Of course, that's before the rocket failed to launch and we had to save Cid's airship from being confiscated by Rufus Shinra. It's all a big cluster-frack."

Jiro nodded. "Sounds like it."

Moira couldn't help but smile. "Sounds like the books Junior used to read when he was growing up. He used to love the idea of going on adventures. I suppose that's why he went on that dig in the Northern Crater. Now his daughter is living his dream."

Aerith smiled.

"Unfortunately," Sephiroth said, deciding to finally get to the point, "We've encountered a problem. One of the airship's propellers was damaged by lightning in the storm. We'll need iron to patch it up with."

Jiro nodded. "That's easy enough. I could use an extra pair of eyes to look for good scrap metal, though. I really do have a mountain of junk in my back yard."

Sephiroth nodded. He turned to Aerith. "I guess I'll be back in a while."

"Okay," Aerith said, still smiling.

"Thank you, Jiro," Moira said warmly.

"My pleasure, Ma," Jiro said, waving as he and Sephiroth opened the front door and walked out.

"Here," Moira said as she handed Aerith her drawing of Professor Gast. She placed her hands on her granddaughter's shoulders and smiled. "You're very talented, Aerith. You got that gift from your aunt Estelle."

"Keep it," Aerith urged her grandmother as she handed the drawing back, "I can always draw another one."

"I'll admit, he looks much more dashing without the mustache," Moira chuckled, taking the picture and looking at it, "I don't know what possessed him to grow it in the first place. Silliest disguise ever." She then looked at the clock and sighed. "I wish I could give your aunt a call, but she's probably at work."

"Uh…" Aerith looked uncomfortable. She then took her grandmother's hand, while placing her other hand on her grandfather's shoulder. "Look, don't get me wrong…I'm _really_ happy to have found you, and I would _love_ to meet my aunt and cousin one day, but I think placing a call to Midgar is a very bad idea. Hojo already used you to find Papa, and now all I have of him are a couple of pictures, and the stories that my mother and Sephiroth have told me."

Both of her grandparents looked discouraged. Gast Sr. finally nodded in agreement. "You're right," he said, "It'll have to wait."

"We use the postal system without any hassle," Aerith said hopefully, "Sephiroth and I normally live in different parts of the world. We write to each other every week and nothing bad has happened. Still…if you're going to write about me or Sephiroth, I'd leave the return address off and make sure she knows who it is through some other way."

"We'll use our typewriter so no one can see our handwriting as well," Gast Sr. reassured her.

Aerith smiled, relieved.

"Honestly!" Moira exclaimed suddenly, "What kind of hostess am I being? I haven't even offered you or Sephiroth anything to eat! Excuse me, I'll be back."

Now Aerith was alone with her grandfather, who stood up and smiled at her.

"I imagine you're going to be here all afternoon for a repair job like that," he said, "Knowing my wife, she's in that kitchen, fixing to go all-out in the food prep department."

"You're both too kind," Aerith said, smiling sheepishly.

"Would you like a tour of the house?" he asked, "I can show you Junior's old room and his old chemistry lab, not to mention the bathroom if you need to use it."

Aerith couldn't help but laugh. "That would be great," she said.

* * *

Sephiroth stared at the photograph in the magazine clipping Jiro had given him. A young woman with flowing brown hair, tied up in a fancy yellow ribbon, smiled uncomfortably for whoever had taken her picture. Below the headshot was a large headline that read "Midgar U's Rising Star: Lucrecia Crescent".

It was an old article for Midgar University's monthly student magazine. Written three years before the school became Shinra University, and four years before Sephiroth's birth, the article was a simple "Who's Who" piece that the magazine did on the school's brightest students. It mentioned that his mother was a native of Junon, had been accepted on a full scholarship, and had managed to keep up a 4.0 GPA.

"Classic over-achiever," Jiro said as he and Sephiroth stood in the older man's back yard, surrounded by several piles of scrap metal. "I always wonder how people like that manage to keep their heads together."

"In the end, she didn't," Sephiroth said bluntly. He then winced. "Forgive me…that was inappropriate of me to say. I don't know what she was going through at the time that she did what she did. Still…I can't help but wonder why on earth she would chose _him_ of all people…?"

"The same reason Aerith's father made friends with him back when we were kids," Jiro answered, "She was intrigued by his intelligence, and she wanted to help him…as clichéd as that sounds."

"Professor Gast was 'intrigued by his intelligence'?" Sephiroth scoffed, "Gast was twice as smart as that hack."

"You called him a 'hack' twice now," Jiro said, "First on the way down here, and then just now. Why's that? Kazuhiro came up with some amazing theories regarding the properties of mako. He was also one of Midgar U's few bio-chem graduates at the time. It was quite possibly the hardest STEM major anyone could take on during that time period. The standards back then were unforgiving. The only other graduate I knew was Junior."

"Professor Gast took his theories, and broke them down so that I could understand them when I was five," Sephiroth answered bitterly, "When your brother had him killed, he took those theories, and spouted them as if they had been his own. He plagiarized Professor Gast's work and happily took credit for it all. If that's not a hack, then what is?"

Jiro said nothing, but nodded sadly.

"Anyway, I should be helping you like I agreed to," Sephiroth said as he placed the magazine on a bench and walked over to one of the piles. "What do you need me to do?"

"I don't need any help finding the stuff I need," Jiro confessed, "I keep my scrap metal neatly organized." He walked over to a particular pile. "I know you said you needed iron, but I think as far as patching up a propeller goes, mythril might be a better alternative if you're just patching something up."

"Not many people work with propellers," Sephiroth remarked, "What makes you so certain?"

"I worked on one of Fenix Highwind's original airplanes before he passed away," Jiro answered proudly, "To be honest, I'm a little excited to know I'll be meeting his grandson, even if I can't tell him who I am."

"So, why am I here?" Sephiroth asked.

"I only brought you here for the sake of privacy," Jiro told him, "I figured you might want to learn more about your mother without an audience. If you're anything like your mother was, you'd start feeling suffocated if everybody were standing around you when you're dealing with something private like this."

"I appreciate the consideration," Sephiroth said as he picked up the article again.

"I wasn't as close with her as Hiro was, or her other friend, but we were friendly enough if you want to ask me anything," Jiro said.

"Other friend?" Sephiroth repeated.

"There was a Turk assigned to guard the members of 'Project S'," Jiro explained, "Even back then, there were people against what Shinra was doing. Even though the Jenova Project was top secret, the original president always worried about information getting leaked. That was the other part of the Turks' job: keeping things hush-hush."

"It still is," Sephiroth said absently. He looked expectantly at Jiro. "Go on, please."

"He was actually the son of another scientist who Lucrecia originally worked for," Jiro continued, "Grimoire Valentine. Everyone admired that man. He was a role-model for all of the younger folk. I don't know too much else. Shinra was a lot like high school, and we were in different cliques now. I was with the engineers, and Junior and Hiro were with the 'science geeks', along with Lucrecia. She really only became friends with 'Valentine Jr.' because he was there every day. Oh god, what was that kid's name…? I'm trying really hard to remember...oh! It was Vincent! Yeah, I remember now. Hiro hated having that guy around. When the three of us _did_ managed to get together for a drink every once in a while, he was always griping about Vincent. Then one day, he just stopped mentioning him. It was as if he'd never existed."

"What happened to him?" Sephiroth asked.

Jiro looked grim. "Rumor had it that Vincent had it bad for Lucrecia. He disappeared before you were born. Then, my brother lied and said you were stillborn. Lucrecia died, and I left the Shinra. That place was so full of darkness. I swear, it sucked people's souls out of them. I'm not just talking about the science department.

"Fenix Highwind was another example. He wasn't a young man anymore, but the Shinra worked him to the bone. He complied because at the time, Dragoonshire was a poor farming community. But back then, the crops were failing because of an insect plague. Everything he did was to transform that dying village into an industrial mecca. He had visions of factories, easy transit for everybody, and he supported the idea of mass communication…similar to the Worldwide Network we have now. But a stress-induced heart-attack killed him in his early sixties. Personally, I think he could have gone on another twenty years and lived to see our technological accomplishments. But that's what the Shinra does: they take the brightest flames, and force them to give everything they have until they burn out prematurely. Fenix Highwind, Faremis Gast Jr., Lucrecia Crescent…"

"…And likely me as well," Sephiroth added darkly.

Jiro nodded in silence.

* * *

Aerith stood in the Gasts' back yard, her eyes locked on the single headstone that stood near the edge of the yard, underneath a weeping willow.

"I identified the body when they sent it back to us," Gast Sr. said solemnly as he stood behind her, "We had a wonderful service for him."

She didn't reply.

"Would you like a moment alone?" he asked.

Aerith swallowed and then shook her head. "Not now…" she said quietly, "…next time I come over…when my pilgrimage is over. Now might not be a good time…"

_ "__If I let myself see how cruel and unfair everything was…" Aerith said as she and Sephiroth stood in her back yard, "…I might start to cry…and not be able to stop."_

"Anyway, he's at peace," Aerith said, finally managing to smile a little. "He's one with the Lifestream. Maybe he's even here in this world again…living a new life."

"I hope so," her grandfather said softly as he gently led her back inside the house.

When they reached the living room, Moira was sitting down at the coffee table, hovering over a box of what looked like photographs. Next to it were several photo albums.

"The oven is still heating up," she announced, "While you were showing Aerith around, honey, I started putting this together. Aerith, I thought maybe you might want to take these with you when you leave?"

"For Gaia's sake, woman!" Gast Sr. scolded his wife, "The girl's on a journey, and from the sound of it, a damned important one! Last thing she needs is you giving her a bunch of Junior's old things and getting her all emotional."

Aerith couldn't help but laugh. Moira soon joined in.

"I suppose that's true," the old woman conceded, "Jiro and Sephiroth will probably be back pretty soon."

"And then we'll have to leave once the propeller's fixed," Aerith said regretfully. "I wish I could write to you right away, but I really don't know what will happen in the next few days."

"We understand," Gast Sr. said.

"So how is your mother?" Moira asked after a brief silence.

"Much better now that she's living in C-," Aerith then cut herself off and looked at her grandparents apologetically. "I'm sorry, I can't say where. But she's happy now. I know she'll never forget my father...but she _did_ remarry. I've also got three younger siblings."

"Not surprised," Gast Sr. scoffed, "Someone that gorgeous isn't going to stay single for very long. Same applies to you, considering how much you take after her."

Aerith couldn't help but giggle as she felt her cheeks flushing.

"I'm glad she was able to move on," Moira said sincerely, "I hope we can meet her someday."

"I think she'd like that," Aerith said sincerely.

"By the way, that Sephiroth a good-looking fella, huh?" Gast Sr. interjected, looking pointedly at Aerith. He then smirked and went back to his newspaper.

Aerith's eyes widened and she turned away, now completely red with embarrassment.

"Dear!" Moira scolded him.

"We're done!" Jiro shouted from outside.

"They're done!" Aerith echoed as she bolted outside a little too quickly.

"Really, Faremis!" Moira continued to reprimand her husband, "You just met your other granddaughter and you're already playing matchmaker…?"

"Just making an observation…" Gast Sr. said casually, not looking up from his paper.

"Well, keep your observations to yourself," Moira ordered him.

"Yes'm," the old man chuckled as he put the newspaper down.

* * *

"This is incredibly surreal," Sephiroth declared as he and Aerith sat on a bench on Jiro's front porch, drinking soda.

They had contacted Cid, who had made contact with the farmer. He would be arriving soon with the wagon they needed, and the broken propeller. Meanwhile, Jiro was already in his basement, firing up his equipment and readying his tools.

"How can two people who grew up in the same place turn out so different?" Aerith wondered.

Sephiroth couldn't help but chuckle. "The same way you and I did, I suppose."

"We're both on the same side, though," Aerith reminded him, "Jiro could have been a great addition to Avalanche. I wonder if he and Cid will get along, since they're both engineers, and they're both eccentric."

"We shouldn't allow Cid or anyone else to find out who Jiro really is," Sephiroth said, "There's already enough tension in the group with three SOLDIER, two Turks and a double-agent."

"Think so?" Aerith asked, "I mean…you and I are the ones that Hojo really hurt. If we can separate the two Hojos in our minds, can't the others?"

"I spoke to the older Turk last night," Sephiroth replied, "She and her colleague have reason to believe that Hojo might be endangering the lives of several female Turks. An experiment known as 'Project T'. The women go in, and they don't come back out."

"He's still at it," Aerith sighed as she took a sip of her Carbuncle Cola. She then smiled and looked at her bottle. "Remember the first time we tried this stuff?"

"I do," Sephiroth replied, "I remember your mother would buy us each one new piece of candy for us to try every day."

"'Just once piece, you two!'," Aerith said, imitating Ifalna.

"Except for the very first birthday party you were invited to," Sephiroth chuckled, "You hoarded so much candy, and then when I came to get you, your little knapsack was full of treats. You had so much, that you had to share it with me on the way back to the inn, just to get rid of it all."

Aerith smiled at him. "You know I would have shared with you no matter how much I had."

"We both had stomachaches by the time we got back," Sephiroth recalled.

"Yeah, but Mom wasn't even mad. She just said we were bound to find out some things the hard way. But I never gorged on candy again; not after she gave us both castor oil."

"Unfortunately, I remember that as well," Sephiroth sighed as he stood up and went over to the mailbox. He grabbed the pole, effortlessly yanking the entire thing out of the ground.

"I hope Jiro's not mad about that," Aerith said.

"I doubt it," Sephiroth reassured her as he set the mailbox down underneath the bench, "He seems rather easygoing. It really is hard to believe he's Hojo's younger brother."

"Yeah," Aerith said, "Hojo had crows' feet, but Jiro has laugh lines. He's actually capable of smiling."

"I suppose living in such a peaceful place with his family was good for him," Sephiroth surmised.

"Have you ever thought of that?" Aerith asked, "You know…having a family?"

"I suppose it's natural for everyone to at least entertain the idea of passing on their genes," Sephiroth commented, "But I still don't know the full extent of how my DNA works. I'll admit…I worry about the idea of what could happen to a child I have…or the mother."

"Are you thinking about your own mother?" Aerith asked softly.

"Her…along with Genesis' mother," Sephiroth answered, "Even Angeal's mother had serious mental issues during and after the pregnancy. Angeal told me that she cleansed herself of the Jenova cells through a procedure similar to chelation therapy. She injected herself with chemicals that bound the cells and purged them from her body."

"It's that easy?" Aerith asked, "In that case, would you be able to-?"

"It wouldn't work for me," Sephiroth told her, "My DNA makeup is much more complicated. Still, I wonder if the same could have been done to my own mother?"

"Hmm…" Aerith murmured thoughtfully.

"Probably not," Sephiroth concluded, "According to Angeal's mother, both Hojo and Hollander were given the same amount of Jenova cells to use. That would mean my mother had a much higher concentration. She probably wouldn't have been able to be cleansed the way Mrs. Hewley was."

"You're probably right," said Aerith.

"I suppose there's no way to find out," Sephiroth said morosely. He finished his cola and set the bottle down, his expression now distant.

Aerith looked up at Sephiroth. "Are you okay?"

Sephiroth looked back at her. He then managed a small smile as he nodded. "There will be a _lot_ for me to discuss with the Grand Abbot if I'm able to return to the temple. For now, all I can do is meditate. Back at the temple, I did it a _lot_ more. Genesis used to tell me that if I spent as much time working out as I did in meditation, I'd be able to wipe the floor with both him and Angeal. I told him I no longer have any interest in working out ten-to-twelve hours a day so I can pretend to be a demigod."

"You still _look_ as though you work out that much," Aerith said as she looked at his lean biceps.

"Oh?" Sephiroth said as he looked back at her.

Aerith continued to look at Sephiroth's arms for a moment. She then quickly began chugging the rest of her cola, realizing that her gaze had lingered on him longer than she had meant to.

"Hey!"

Two harnessed yellow chocobos were lugging a large wagon behind them. In the back lay the broken propeller. In the front sat Cid, holding the reins.

"Been years since I drove something that didn't have a motor," the pilot chuckled loudly, "How've you two been? Keeping yourselves entertained, or are you about to die of boredom like everyone else?" He pulled up to the house. "Whoa there, birdies."

"Boredom hasn't been an issue," Sephiroth said dryly.

Cid climbed out of the wagon and pulled some measuring tape out of his pocket. "Hey, Sephiroth…"

"Hmm?"

"Why does your name sound so familiar to me?" Cid asked, "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like I know your name from somewhere."

"We met a very long time ago," Sephiroth explained, "If I hadn't have dyed my hair to blend in, you'd have recognized me instantly."

"Oh, shit, now I remember you!" Cid recalled, "My old man said you were a 'very special guest' and if I wasn't nice to you, he'd whoop my ass. Yeah, the hair…I remember now. It was premature grey, wasn't it?"

Sephiroth stared coldly at Cid.

"It's _silver_," Aerith corrected him. She then took a lock of his long hair and let it run through her fingers, smiling admiringly. "Like moonbeams! Right, Seph?"

Sephiroth groaned. Aerith was really not making things easy for him right now.

"What's wrong?" Aerith asked.

"I think I liked 'premature grey' better," Sephiroth covered, "Let's go out back."

"Well, excuse _me!_" Aerith huffed as she watched him step off the porch.

* * *

It had taken until late afternoon to melt down the metal, fuse it to the broken propeller, and get it to cool(with a little help from Jiro's materia collection). Moira had come over, having prepared lunch for everyone, much to their gratitude. Just as they had agreed not to reveal Jiro's identity to Cid, Jiro merely introduced Moira as his next-door neighbor. Aerith and Sephiroth did, however, agree to share the turn of events with Angeal, Genesis, and Elfé once they had the chance.

Cid and Jiro had indeed hit it off, as Aerith had speculated. Indeed, after completing the repairs, Cid was content to sit around in Jiro's kitchen and talk shop. Sephiroth and Aerith had to remind him that the sun would set soon if they didn't leave.

As Cid climbed up the wagon and into the driver's seat, Aerith saw the Gasts step out onto their front porch. They smiled sadly as they began to wave goodbye.

"So glad to have met you, Aerith," Gast Sr. called out, while Moira dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

"Nice folks," Cid commented as he, Aerith and Sephiroth waved back, "That lady's a little emotional, but she makes a damn good club sandwich and biscuits!"

Aerith blinked back tears as she climbed into the back of the wagon, next to the propeller.

"You guys ready?" Cid asked as Sephiroth climbed up front next to him.

"All set," Sephiroth answered.

Aerith nodded. "Yes."

Cid took the reins. "Let's do this," he said eagerly.

"Good luck!" Jiro called out to the trio as the wagon began to pull away.

"Thank you for everything!" Sephiroth called back, while Cid and Aerith waved to the former engineer.

"Phew!" Cid breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank god we're almost done. Now we've just gotta get this thing back on the airship and pray it works."

"You were confident enough that Jiro did a good job," Sephiroth reminded him.

"Yeah, but considering all the shit that's gone wrong so far…" Cid grumbled, "At least I can hide my baby in the canyon. The Shinra won't be that far north…not since Modeoheim was shut down."

"Indeed," Sephiroth agreed, "They have no interest in that particular area at the moment. Let's hope it stays that way. However, we still need to dock near Bone Village so Aerith can pick up the Lunar Harp."

"Shit, that's right…" Cid said with a grimace, "Make it fast, Aerith. We don't know if any of those excavators sell their crap to anyone from the Shinra."

"Yeah," Aerith replied, seemingly distracted.

"You alright?" Cid called back to her, "You're so quiet all of a sudden."

Aerith sniffed as she picked up a handful of hay that hadn't been swept out of the farmer's wagon. "I'm fine," she covered, "I must be allergic to hay. I'm a desert girl, so…" She shrugged and then tossed the hay out.

"We'll be back at the airship in fifteen minutes," Cid told her, "Hey, so, about my other foot…I was kinda hoping…?"

Aerith cringed, thinking about Cid's foot, covered in fungus, yellow toenails, and cracked, dead skin. _Just when I thought I wasn't going to cry…_she thought miserably.


	29. Chapter 8: Interlude

A/N: Glad to know Cid is such a hit with the readers, since I'm really starting to enjoy writing him.

Here's a short chapter for everyone. I couldn't figure out a way to incorporate it into the previous or next chapter, so it'll have to stand as it is.

Just so you know...it's going to get rather steamy after the next couple chapters. You have been warned. ;)

* * *

Chapter 8: Interlude

The main area of Bone Village in the evening was exactly like it had been the last time Elfé had visited: dusty, humid, and quiet. Dusty because the air never seemed to clear after hours of digging and drilling; humid due to the naturally temperate climate; and quiet because the excavators often went to the bar after second shift ended.

Jiro's handiwork had been top-notch. The _Highwind_ had landed safely after an hour-long flight, in which the mended propeller had caused no problems. The airship sat docked right outside of town and away from the sea, which Cid guessed had attracted the lightning that had struck the propeller in the first place. Lenny and Brick had stayed behind to guard the _Highwind_ while everyone else had headed into town.

The sight of the main excavation area had rendered everybody speechless. The skeletons of beasts from long-ago had been cleverly incorporated into the structures of two different buildings.

Cid had stared mournfully at the large jet that lay atop a 20-foot high feline skull. He then explained to everyone that it had been one of the later model aircrafts designed by both his father and the Shinra engineering department. It had taken two years to design and build the plane, only for it to crash on its maiden voyage.

"What a waste," he had said, gesturing hopelessly at the wreck.

Aerith had stared at the skull, thinking about her Firecat friends back in Cosmo Canyon. Their population had doubled with the arrival of Shuroya and Kimu's four cubs a couple days ago. Ifalna had given Aerith the happy news while the group was still in Rocket Town. She had been thrilled, wishing she could be there to see. She pictured herself playing with the newborn cubs, imagining one of them wriggling around in her arms, sniffing her face curiously. The thought made her smile, although she found herself feeling slightly homesick at the same time.

The feeling soon passed, however, as the group quickly got down to business, asking around about the Lunar Harp. Immediately, the chief excavator overheard and had offered to dig up a different one altogether.

"You can't have enough Lunar Harps, and thankfully they're good and plenty around here!" the portly man had told them, "Third shift starts in a couple hours, and we can have as many as five guys digging for you, for the reasonable price of 100 gil per digger, all while you sleep at our cozy inn!"

Elfé had quickly cut in and let him know a Lunar Harp was already waiting for them in the residential area. Seeing that these people wouldn't be giving him any money, the man quickly ducked back into his office, claiming to be very busy all of a sudden.

A dirt road led away from the site, where it stretched on for a good mile before it reached the actual "village proper". An old schoolhouse with a playground out back, stood in the center of the area. Surrounding it were several houses, where the excavators and their families lived. Toward the back was a pub, as indicated by the sign which featured two foaming mugs of ale and lager clinking together. Next to the pub was a clothing and textile shop to the right, plus a grocery store to the left.

After asking Elfé's contacts in the area, Aerith had found the house where her father's acquaintance kept a Lunar Harp. The cantankerous old man had stormed outside with his shotgun, threatening to blow the group away as he saw them approaching his house. However, Aerith waved her father's sunglasses as she pleaded her case, hoping he would recognize the trademark accessory just as her grandparents had.

Thankfully it worked, and any unnecessary bloodshed was successfully avoided. However, the man would only allow Aerith, and Aerith alone, inside his house. Sephiroth was less-than-thrilled to know that Aerith was alone with a seemingly unhinged man who owned a shotgun. Aerith reassured him, reminding Sephiroth(out of the old man's earshot) that she had a mastered "Status" materia, which had a very effective sleep spell that she was ready to use in case of any trouble. With that, she left, following the man inside, and leaving Sephiroth wondering about the company that Professor Gast had kept while he was alive.

_His childhood friend turned out to be Professor Hojo of all people, and another friend of his pulls a gun on us…_Sephiroth thought, shaking his head bewilderedly…_No offense intended, Professor Gast, but I'm beginning to understand why it is that you're dead…_

"Remind me why we need to do this?" Cid asked as the group waited outside, wary of making any false moves.

"The forest leading into the Ancient city is cursed," Sephiroth explained, "The Lunar Harp is the only thing that can break the curse."

"The Great Glacier was once a mountain range that extended up to where the Northern Crater is now," Elfé added, "Bone Village was once the site of a Cetra colony. After the impact that created the crater, there was a horrible landslide that buried the colony. To this day, excavators are still digging out all of the treasures the surviving Ancients left behind after the Calamity…that is, the disaster that led to the destruction of their civilization."

"I still don't see why we had to land outside of this place, hike up here to get some magical trinket, hike back to the _Highwind_, and _then_ fly to that damned ghost town tomorrow," Cid complained, "You mentioned that the Shinra choppers accessed the city from above just fine when they came here twenty-odd years ago."

"According to Aerith's mother, there was a weak barrier keeping people from accessing the city from above," Sephiroth told him, "There was an opening big enough for the helicopter to get through, but the larger airplanes that followed encountered some kind of electromagnetic interference. She saw them all crash. I suppose the one back at the site must have been able to hold out longer than the others before it went down."

A look of understanding then appeared on Cid's face. "_That's_ what happened, huh?" He glanced back toward the road leading back to the excavation site. "Yeah…" he said as he then looked at Sephiroth. "Now I get it. I remember I was about seven or eight. My dad was really upset about having lost a few of our family's planes. One of them was personally designed by my grandpa, so it had a lot of sentimental value. Then on top of that, Shinra lost interest in planes and cut the funding for my dad to build more. They were more interested in helicopters from that point on, since they didn't need as much space to land."

Sephiroth wondered if that was why Cid's father had gone along with the "play date" between the two boys. Perhaps he was hoping it was a sign that the Shinra had changed their minds. Cid's father must have been very disappointed when nothing came of it.

"You're saying that the Shinra's been screwing over your family ever since your dad's time, and yet you _still_ made a deal with them to send you into space?" Zack asked dubiously.

Sephiroth couldn't help but shake his head as he recalled what Jiro had said. He now knew that the Shinra's mistreatment of the Highwind family stretched even farther back than that. Cid must have known as well.

The pilot looked slightly pained. "The heart wants what the heart wants," he said, "Maybe a hundred years ago, I could have just explored the Eastern Continent and been fine with that. But space…that's the ultimate frontier. Build a space station, colonize the moon…something like that. I just wanted to go where no one else had been."

"The probes that were sent to the moon indicate no atmosphere there," Sephiroth corrected Cid, "Colonization would be out of the question."

"Fuck, can't a guy romanticize without a buzz-kill like you getting in the way?" Cid snapped.

Sephiroth shrugged, unfazed.

"The sun will be setting soon," Elfé announced, "We should get our shopping done soon, and look for as many deals as you can find. We'll be heading out bright and early, and this is our last chance to stock up."

"Shit, I _really_ hate hearing the words 'bright and early' in the same sentence," Cid complained.

The door to the house opened and Aerith came out, carrying something wrapped in canvas.

"All right, guys!" Aerith said excitedly as she pulled out a small crescent-shaped harp. She held it up to the setting sun, allowing the light to gleam off of the gold finish.

"Damn…" Cid said, amazed. He rapped on the harp with his knuckles and whistled, impressed. "Y'know after you use that thing, you could probably get a _lot_ of gil for something like that."

"No way!" Aerith protested, "I'm giving it to my kid sister once I get back home." She smiled fondly. "I'll bet she masters it in a year."

"How are you going to find an equally suitable gift for each of your brothers?" Sephiroth asked.

"I'll figure something out," Aerith answered confidently.

"We should just spend the night in the airship," Elfé suggested to Cid, "We'll save some money if we just stay in the cabins instead of an inn."

"Good point," Sephiroth agreed, while Cid also nodded.

"So we'll all meet back at the airship when we're done," Elfé said to everyone, "See you then…"

* * *

Shopping had been a simple affair for most of the group. Half of the group headed back to the airship right after they were done. Cid and his guys had stayed to chat with a couple of the excavators. Shera decided to poke around. Aerith decided to use some of her personal gil to buy a new shirt, and Tifa wanted to come along and help her pick something out.

Sephiroth had wanted to explore the woods surrounding the town. Angeal and Genesis had offered to come along, hoping to battle a few stray monsters, just like old times. However, the woods ended up having little to offer, aside from a few Boundfats. Genesis easily dispatched two of them with a single swing of his rapier, while Sephiroth used a Lightning spell on another one. After walking mostly in silence for half-an-hour, the trio agreed to head back over to the airship.

"How are you feeling?" Angeal asked Genesis as they exited the forest.

"Relieved that this will be over soon," the redhead answered, looking up at the sky, "I'll be as good as new, and then I can head back to Midgar."

Angeal stopped walking and stared at his friend in disbelief. "You're not serious…"

Genesis glanced back at his friend and smiled, as if amused with his reaction. "My cover story still holds up," he maintained, "I understand your not being interested in working with Hollander. I don't blame you."

Angeal rolled his eyes. "Ah, well, thank goodness for small favors."

"You're an idiot, Genesis," Sephiroth interjected flatly.

Genesis turned his head and glared at Sephiroth. "Nobody asked you."

"Aerith and her mother meditated for days, in hopes that they could help you," Sephiroth argued, "The _planet itself _has guided them to this point. We've come all the way up here, displacing almost a dozen people and putting them on Shinra's wanted lists, so you can go back into the hornet's nest and stir it some more. How do you think Aerith and Ifalna will feel if you stupidly get yourself either captured or killed? This isn't one of your adventure novels where the spy always manages to out on top. Death is forever, Genesis. It would be wise of you to remember that."

"Says the man that rule probably doesn't even apply to," Genesis quipped.

"You don't even care about how Aerith feels, do you?" Sephiroth challenged.

A smug look then appeared on Genesis' face. "Well, I figured that's _your_ department...isn't it?" he replied.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Angeal asked impatiently.

"Ask Sephiroth," Genesis said with a wink. He resumed walking, and immediately began to pick up the pace.

"Why again, are we friends with him?" Sephiroth muttered, his patience wearing thin. It wasn't the first time he had asked that, and he imagined it wouldn't be the last.

"Right now, your guess is as good as mine," Angeal admitted, "But…at the end of the day, he _is_ our friend…like it or not. All we can do is hope that on some level, there's actually a method to his madness. At the very least, he'll make sure not to take us down with him."

Sephiroth nodded wordlessly. The two continued to walk together in weary silence.

* * *

"I wonder why nobody tried to salvage that wreck?" Shera wondered out loud.

She had finished stocking up on a few more tufts of Phoenix Down, along with a few cans of soup. Once she left the store, she saw Cid outside, staring at the jet again. He was sitting on a bench underneath a large tree, several feet away from the wreckage.

"When Shinra cuts their funding, that's literally the end," Cid sighed, "They decided to let it become Bone Village's problem, I guess. If there were ever an earthquake, that thing could fall and fucking kill somebody."

"I know," Shera agreed, "It's really too bad nothing ended up being saved. What a perfectly good waste."

"Yeah...I wonder if the pilot's still in there too?"

Shera looked at Cid with a horrified expression. The pilot burst out laughing.

"Don't mind me," he chuckled, "I'm just a sick bastard with a screwed-up sense of humor..."

Shera looked nervously at Cid. Now that he no longer seemed to be so furious with her, she decided she might as well share with him what she had been thinking about all day.

"You gotta use the bathroom or something?" Cid asked, noting the uncomfortable expression on his assistant's face.

"Captain, I'm _positive_ that you can still go into space!" Shera blurted out.

"Huh?" Cid stared quizzically at her.

"I'm serious," Shera went on as she sat down next to him. "You just said that when Shinra drops something, that's the end of it. They won't even bother with dismantling the rocket. It's already been built, and it wasn't damaged when you aborted the launch. It's still fully capable of flying, especially since there's still a full tank of fuel."

"But the thing's all crooked now," Cid argued, "You'd need twice as much fuel to make it up to space at that angle."

"We could fix it," Shera insisted, "We could build some kind of pulley system to straighten it out. We just need to figure out how to do it on a very large scale. I know the townspeople would all be eager to help."

Cid furrowed his brow, staring quietly at the ground for a moment. "You really think it would work, huh?" he finally asked.

Shera nodded eagerly.

"And we wouldn't even need the Shinra anymore," Cid mused, "They _did_ drop the space program."

"It would be _Rocket Town's_ project now," Shera told him, "We'd finally earn that name."

Cid smiled as he nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Shera," he said as he looked over the piece of paper, "You may be slow as fuckin' molasses when you work, but your mind is pretty damn quick. This could really work."

Shera seemed to deflate slightly. "It's the least I can do after I messed everything up for you," Shera said, looking away.

"Ah, forget it," Cid scoffed, "You're just lucky this has been the kind of crazy-ass adventure I needed. Working with the Shinra, with all that goddamned paperwork? Boring as shit. But being out here with a bunch of rebels? Makes me feel like I can do just about anything."

"I'm glad it worked out," Shera said as a tiny smile appeared on her face.

"Hey, loosen up, woman!" Cid laughed as he stood up, "Come on- let's go find Lenny and Brick. We'll head over to the bar and grab ourselves a drink. Whaddaya say?"

Shera's smile grew as she stood up. "Yes, Captain!"

* * *

"I don't know…" Aerith said hesitatingly as she and Tifa stood in the changing room of Bone Village's general store. "It's so…form-fitting."

She looked at the pink camisole she was trying on at Tifa's suggestion, while Tifa circled around Aerith, inspecting carefully.

"What's wrong with that?" Tifa asked, "You've got a good figure! Besides, I think pink might just be your color."

"I don't know about the good figure part," Aerith sighed, "I always worry I'm too skinny," She poked at her collarbone as if to illustrate her point.

Tifa rolled her eyes. "Every girl thinks she's too skinny or too fat. Are we ever happy with the way we look?"

"Easy for the girl with the perfect figure," Aerith grumbled.

Tifa briefly glanced down at her own sizable bosom. "I was the first girl in my class to start wearing a bra, and a few kids who noticed started in on me. There were catcalls, the gossip, the nasty insults that I overheard..." She sighed. "Pretty soon half of my classmates were in on it."

"That's horrible!" Aerith exclaimed.

"Well, at least I learned who my real friends were," Tifa admitted, "The point is, nobody has it perfect."

"Let me try on the white one first," Aerith said as she held up a white camisole.

"Attagirl!" Tifa said brightly as she left the changing area.

As Aerith removed the pink camisole and tried the white one on, she could hear Tifa giggling again. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Oh..." Tifa said, leaning near the door. "Well, when I mentioned all that stuff that happened at school, I remembered something that happened a couple years ago."

"What?"

"Well, there was this other boy I sort of knew…he punched another boy who actually tried to grab me...well, grab _them_."

Aerith's hand flew up to her mouth in shock. "I hope you landed a shot on him as well!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Right in the nuts," Tifa snickered, "That's what I was laughing at. Guys aren't so tough when you hit them there."

"So the boy who defended you," said Aerith, "Did you become friends with him?"

Tifa looked slightly disappointed. "I got off on self-defense, since everyone on the playground saw him touch me. But that other boy, he got suspended for getting involved, and for giving that kid a bloody nose. But he later told me it wasn't a big deal, since he was leaving for Midgar anyway."

"To join SOLDIER?" Aerith asked as her face peaked out from behind the curtain.

Tifa regarded Aerith, surprised. "How'd you know?"

"Young boy leaves the countryside to go to Midgar," said Aerith as she disappeared back inside, "It's the same story as Zack and Luxiere."

"I asked those guys if they ever met the boy," said Tifa, "But the name didn't ring a bell for any of them, and neither did the way he looked. And it's really hard to forget that kid's haircut…"

"What do you mean?"

Tifa giggled. "The kids at school would call him 'chocobo-head' because of the way his hair looked. It was the color of a yellow chocobo, and it stood up all over the place like the crest on top of its head. I secretly thought it was cute."

Aerith looked at her feet, suddenly frightened. It was happening again…

_"__What about MY pain?!" the young man with the spiky blond hair wept._

"Are you all set?" Tifa asked.

Aerith instantly fixed her expression, transforming it into her usual smile. "Yeah, come on in."

Tifa pushed past the curtain and stepped inside, taking a good look. "I think the pink one's better."

"Don't write me off as crazy just yet…" Aerith said, "...but I have the feeling you'll be seeing that guy again really soon. I'll bet he even makes it to 1st Class."

"He did seem pretty adamant about making it to that rank," Tifa recalled.

"Are you ladies decent?" Sephiroth's voice could be heard from outside.

"Even if we were, you can't come in!" Tifa ordered, much to Aerith's amusement, "No guys allowed!" The girls both broke into giggles.

"Well, I thought I'd let you know that the grocer was having a sale on potatoes," Sephiroth announced.

Aerith suddenly looked very excited. "As in…we're having baked potatoes?" she asked hopefully.

"Well, it's quicker than mashed potatoes," Sephiroth answered, "But that won't be until tomorrow. As far as tonight's dinner goes, Cid called us and said that he and his friends found a barbecue joint where the excavators usually eat. Everyone's already there."

"Stupid reception..." Tifa complained as she stepped out of the changing room and pulled out her PHS. There were no bars inside the store.

"Coming!" Aerith practically sang as she hurriedly began to change back into her regular clothes.

As she and Tifa followed Sephiroth over to the restaurant, Tifa began telling an amusing story about a martial arts training session gone awry. Aerith listened, trying to lose herself in the funny anecdote. However, the boy Tifa had mentioned earlier remained in the back of her mind. Aerith was certain it was the young man she had seen in the dream from only a few weeks ago.

She had managed to put the dream out of her mind for the most part during her journey. Even when she had met Zack, she had been relieved instead of worried, because she felt hopeful that his original fate may have been averted. However, the blond SOLDIER was another story altogether. Out of all the people she had seen in her dream, she was scared of meeting him the most…

…Because it was _her_ dead body he was cradling.

"Oh, that smells sooooo good…!" Tifa exclaimed as they arrived at the barbecue joint. She quickly hurried inside.

"Luckily the excavators are usually at the bar around this time," Sephiroth commented, "We won't have to wait long-,"

He stopped speaking as Aerith abruptly threw her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. Before he had time to initially react, he could feel Aerith trembling. "What's the matter?" he asked, concerned.

"I don't want to die…" Aerith whimpered, "You can't promise nothing will happen. You _know_ life doesn't work that way…" At that moment, Boxer managed to enter her mind. One minute he had been taunting the Shinra, the next, his dead body lay on the road.

Sephiroth rested his hand on her head, while he dared to place his other hand on the small of her back.

"When I feared for my sanity," he said quietly, "the Grand Abbot told me: 'When the big picture gets to be too much, then we need to shift our point of view. You're alive now, Aerith. Just take it one day at a time. That's how I get through…many things."

_Including the things I want to do to you…_he couldn't help but think guiltily.

"One day at a time…" Aerith repeated softly. She then stepped back and looked up at Sephiroth. She then managed to smile. "All right. I'll try that. I'll just focus on…" She looked up at the restaurant. "…finding out if they serve cornbread. I haven't had cornbread in ages."

Sephiroth smiled back at her. "Good idea."

He opened the door, allowing Aerith to go first, before following her inside the establishment.

* * *

A/N: If anyone ever wondered how Aerith got through the Sleeping Forest by herself, that's my fan theory on how she got a Lunar Harp.

Yes, there is a crashed fighter jet in Bone Village. It seemed rather out of place considering how antiquated the Tiny Bronco is by comparison.


	30. Chapter 9: Arrival

A/N: I seem to have a sudden spike in readers from Kenya. Interesting.

So we're finally at the City of the Ancients. I'm really excited to be writing this. I feel that the tragedy of Aerith's death in the original game pretty much shut the door on exploring what _was_ after all a _capital_. There was probably a lot more to this city, and I'm going to tear down all the layers. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 9: Arrival

"I didn't see any barrier," Cid said to Aerith, "You're sure your old man wasn't being taken for a ride when they told him about that harp?"

The _Highwind_ had landed in the valley, as close to the deserted village as possible, and the group was now climbing down the rope ladder(Tifa, still wearing her leather skirt, had insisted on climbing down first, having caught Lenny looking up the last time). Up ahead, a dilapidated limestone bridge stretched across a small river that ran parallel to the city's entrance.

"Hey, kid!" Cid barked, "Are you even listening?"

Aerith seemed to be in a daze as she quickened her pace, walking past everybody else until she now stood at the beginning of the crumbling road that led into the city.

"Leave her be, Cid," Sephiroth told the pilot, "The planet could be speaking to Aerith right now, for all we know. It did tell her to come here, after all."

Cid shook his head skeptically. Here he was, likely a wanted fugitive for refusing to turn over his prized creation to the Shinra. Now, here he was, following a teenaged girl who heard voices in her head, into a ghost town? What the hell was he getting into, anyway?

"You okay, Aerith?" Elfé asked as everybody slowly caught up to the demi-Cetra. "Is the planet saying anything to you right now?"

Aerith shook her head. "The planet isn't saying anything at all. It's the spirits of Cetra that passed long ago. They're the ones welcoming me." She turned around and addressed everybody: "When I sleep at night…when my mother sleeps…my brothers and my sister…our ancestors reach out to us from the Promised Land. It's where all the Cetra go after they pass away…the land of supreme happiness. This city…it's like a link between this world and the next. All the lines of communication are all open…though whether they can hear me remains to be determined. For me, it's like they're standing right next to me."

"So what are they saying, then?" Zangan asked good-naturedly.

Aerith giggled and flung her arms wide open, indicating the crumbling buildings surrounding them. "Welcome to Ajit!" she announced.

Tifa scowled. "Welcome to what?"

"Ajit," Aerith repeated, "It's a strange name for what was said to be our capital centuries ago. It literally means 'hideaway'."

"A capital is also a hideaway?" Cissnei said with a frown, "Is it possible then, that this place might have been some sort of disaster shelter in the past?"

A sad smile appeared on Aerith's face. "I guess it wasn't a very effective one, then…" she said, thinking about what the population had dwindled down to. All of a sudden, she became all-too-aware of how much she missed her family.

"We should all stay together," Elfé said, "We don't know what this place might hold, plus look at how shabby the buildings around us are. They look ready to collapse at any moment."

"Hey, what if there's treasure here?" Luxiere piped up.

"I'd imagine those excavators probably have their own Lunar Harps," said Cissnei, "They probably looted the place a long time ago."

"But if I recall correctly," Sephiroth interjected, "When the archaeologists found Aerith's mother, they forgot about their mission and focused on her instead. It wouldn't hurt to investigate further…especially since there was an area that could only let her in, and not the archaeologists…"

Everybody's ears perked up at that last statement.

"That's right!" Aerith recalled excitedly, "She told me about it the morning before I left, hoping it might help. You see, she kept quiet when they tried to get in, even though she had gone through the gate just fine the night before. Our ancestors told her to keep it a secret. She said it was in a building that resembled a cross between a shell, and the skeleton of a horned monster. There's a pond over there as well."

Kunsel took out his tablet and began to fiddle with it. "Damn! I was hoping there might be some kind of map available on the Network, but there's no reception here at all! It was perfect in Bone Village."

"The barrier or curse…whatever it is," Shera theorized, "must involve some kind of electromagnetic interference. If that kind of interference caused planes to crash, then it's probably no surprise that we don't have any reception here."

"This means we might have to go back and forth a few times," Angeal concluded, "I suppose that would happen anyway, depending on how long we stay here. We might need to restock on food."

"How are we doing on funds?" Cid asked.

"Don't worry," Genesis answered confidently, "This whole trip is on me. Shinra never did find my own personal savings account, and business was always good."

"I think I'm starting to like this arrogant sickly bastard!" Cid chuckled, clapping Genesis on the back.

"Let's get going," Aerith said, "Follow me, everyone…"

* * *

"So beautiful…" Tifa whispered, amazed.

The aforementioned building lay in the beginning of a thick forest, surrounded by a small pond. The trees were unlike anything any of the group had ever seen. Though they were bare, and long-dead, the bark covering them had an almost fluorescent bluish-white hue. The surface of the water shimmered brightly in the sunlight, as an opening in the trees allowed a large ray of light to pass through, illuminating the otherwise dark area, and giving the trees an almost sparkling quality.

"I've never seen anything like it…" Genesis said softly.

"Makes you glad to be alive, doesn't it?" Zangan chuckled.

"We should go swimming here if we get a chance," Zack suggested.

"Hell yeah!" Cid agreed.

"What if we need to use that water for drinking?" Sephiroth argued disapprovingly.

"What about the river back at the entrance?" Genesis reminded Sephiroth, "Use that for drinking and let the guys have a little fun here."

"Hey, that works!" Zack agreed, "The water's probably colder out there anyway."

"One could impale themselves on that building if they're not careful," Cissnei remarked, pointing to the numerous horns that poked out of the tall spiral-like structure.

"I wonder how they managed to build these?" Angeal said, impressed, "The Ancients really had some interesting secrets." He turned to Aerith. "How many secrets do you think we'll find?"

"Good question," Aerith replied, "I guess now's as good a time as any to find out. Let's go inside, everyone."

She hurried inside, walking down the circular ramp stopping short at the strange sight before her: a large red fish sculpture supported by seaweed.

"What- did some artist live here?" Luxiere asked dubiously as he reached over and poked the fish.

"I thought you said there was a gate," Genesis said to Aerith, "Are you sure it's not outside, past all those trees?"

"That would be a rather tight squeeze…" Angeal sighed, "Those trees are too packed together, and I don't see any of us getting through without having to cut through them."

"It's _here!_" Aerith insisted, "Ugh…why didn't I call my mother before we came here?" She looked around, trying to spot any kind of clue. "A gate that only she could open…"

"Maybe it was designed to read her fingerprints?" Sephiroth suggested.

"Why don't you rub the fish's head for good luck?" Tifa joked, trying to get Aerith to relax.

The demi-Cetra did indeed crack a smile. "Yeah, there we go," Aerith said as she placed her hand on the giant guppy. To everyone's shock, however, the sculpture suddenly disappeared, revealing a set of crystalline steps descending into another room.

"Seriously?!" Zack exclaimed, amazed.

"I just touched it a minute ago and nothing!" Luxiere protested.

"She's got the touch," Tifa said, smiling at Aerith.

"Let's keep going, everyone," Aerith said as she hurried down the steps.

When they reached the bottom, Aerith cautiously stepped through a keyhole-shaped doorway, and onto a narrow walkway surrounded by railings and large stone pillars scattered about. Mist could be seen rising from the water below, and in the distance stood a large dais. Bathed in the sunlight from a skylight that must have been built beyond the trees above, it stood in the center, surrounded by more pillars. Indeed, several of them stood in between the platform and very bottom of the steps, as if forming a path that could allow one to reach the large platform.

Sephiroth walked up behind Aerith, looking over her head at the sight before him. What was even more prominent to him than the unusual architecture, was the silence. Had it been this silent since Ifalna had made her way out of the area nineteen years ago? Furthermore…what had _happened_ before that? Aerith had the feeling she would soon be finding out. She moved out of the way, allowing everyone else to walk into the strange area.

"Amazing…" Angeal whispered, almost afraid to disturb the place.

"What's this supposed to be?" Tifa asked, looking around. "This place just seems to be a few houses above, and then this. Yet you called it a capital, Aerith. I don't get it."

"More than meets the eye, I suppose," Zangan concluded, "What you see is only the beginning. What you look for…that's the real task."

"What is that?" Elfé asked, pointing at the stone dais. She turned, looking inquisitively toward Aerith, who was now staring vacantly into space.

"It's…" Aerith then smiled happily. "It's an altar. I just saw a wedding from back when this place had thousands of people living here. My people showed me just now."

Angeal frowned. "But where would people even stand? They'd have to be some small weddings."

Aerith regarded him somewhat playfully. "Master Zangan is right- there's more to this place than meets the eye." She then glanced at the water surrounding the altar. "This place flooded over the years. The bottom was where all the guests would stand when the couple were united. Elevated by their love, although I'm sure many people would brush that off as corny."

"What you describe is very similar to your mother's wedding in Cosmo Canyon," Sephiroth remembered.

"Cosmo Canyon borrowed a lot from our people," Aerith agreed, "I'm not surprised, given the fact that our familiars wound up living there. Instead of protecting us, they protect the humans."

"They still protect your family," Sephiroth reminded her.

"That's right," Aerith said, nodding. _I wonder what everyone is up to now,_ she thought wistfully.

"Hey!" Zack exclaimed as he pointed toward the bottom of the massive chamber, "It looks like there's a door down there under all that water."

"Good eye, Zack," Elfé said appreciatively, "I would have missed that."

"I'll take a look," Sephiroth volunteered. He immediately took his boots and socks off, followed by his coat and shirt.

"Very nice…" Freyra whispered admiringly to Cissnei.

Aerith stiffened at the Turk's off-hand compliment, suddenly feeling…angry? She then turned away, trying to keep her expression neutral as Sephiroth jumped into the water.

"Hey, maybe there's something that can drain this place," Genesis suggested to Angeal, "Let's look around as well."

As they also removed their footwear and tops, Angeal's eyes accidentally met Elfé's. The swordswoman's eyes briefly moved down to Angeal's chest before she quickly looked away, attempting to appear nonchalant.

"Here's hoping," Angeal said before he and Genesis leaped off the platform and into the water as well.

"Should we go in as well?" Luxiere asked, "I mean, we've got pretty good underwater vision."

"Nah," Zack sighed, looking somewhat discouraged. "Something tells me we'd just get in their way..."

* * *

It had taken about five minutes for the three former lab specimens to locate a very large grate, which had been blocked with what turned out to be the decaying corpse of an equally large monster. Reluctantly, they pushed the grotesque body aside before heading back to the platform. Genesis' wing sprouted and he grabbed both Sephiroth and Angeal's hands, hauling both himself and his friends back up.

"Oh, hey- look!" Aerith exclaimed. She lay flat on her stomach on the edge of the platform, near the bottom of the stone steps. "There's a switch here." She reached down and activated the lever, covering her ears as a loud hissing noise reverberated throughout the room. Steam billowed out from under her as a set of stone steps, similar to the other stairs in the area, emerged, descending to the floor.

"This is so exciting!" Tifa said to Zangan, who simply chuckled and patted Tifa on the head.

"_Youth_ is exciting," the old man said wistfully, "But I'll admit, this little adventure is making me feel quite young myself…"

"There's the door," Sephiroth said, pointing ahead. The water level had now decreased, revealing the exit.

"Let's go," Elfé said to everyone as she followed Aerith, who was already walking down the new stairs.

"Careful," Sephiroth admonished Aerith, who had slipped on the wet floor only for him to catch her. "The door isn't going anywhere. Slow down."

"Oh, shit, I can smell that dead monster now…" Luxiere gagged as they approached the corpse.

"No kidding…" Cissnei grimaced, "How many years of that thing being submerged underwater?"

"Let's burn it," Freyra suggested as she readied a high-level Fire spell.

"Not yet," Sephiroth ordered her, "We don't know if the smoke might set off any alarms or traps."

"Wait a second…" Aerith said smiling, "I think I know what to do…"

She walked over to the corpse, making sure to breathe through her mouth. Lifting her staff in the air, she shouted:

"Be at peace!"

The dead monster was instantly enveloped by blinding red light, causing everybody to shield their eyes. When they dared to look again, the body was gone. Everyone stared at Aerith, amazed at what they had seen.

"Whoa…" Zack said, stunned.

"And the smell's gone too!" Tifa remarked.

"Happy, now, everyone?" Aerith giggled before walking over to the door.

* * *

"Just when I think I can't possibly be more amazed…" Angeal said appreciatively as he looked around.

"You and me both…" Elfé agreed.

The gang stood in what seemed to be the actual city center. The area appeared to be lit by some sort of artificial sunlight. However, nobody could find any specific source. Dozens of neatly aligned houses lined the cobblestone streets. Each house still had lush greenery surrounding it. Indeed, it didn't look as though a week had passed since the Cetra race had vanished, let alone two-thousand years.

"It's like the city had a fire drill or something," Zack said, "You'd think everyone would be back in a few minutes."

"Maybe we should find a place to unload all of our stuff?" Angeal suggested.

Elfé nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. But we should try and find a place that can accommodate all of us. We should all stick together. No monsters have attacked us yet, but as we all saw, at least one monster _did_ get through. And, it was large enough to block the drain in that pillar room and flood it. I'm not so sure people should go off on their own...at least not yet."

"Should we perhaps split into groups?" Sephiroth suggested.

"Two groups are probably fine," Elfé stated, "We can discuss it further once we're settled somewhere. The sun will be setting in only a few minutes. If there _are_ monsters, they're more likely to come out after nightfall."

"What about that building over there?" Shera asked, pointing up ahead at what looked to be a large mansion, rising above all the other houses from about a block away.

"Let's check it out," Elfé said.

* * *

They arrived in a matter of minutes. As usual, Aerith had been the one to open the door, though it hadn't been locked. Furthermore, Sephiroth had inspected the door once everybody had entered the house, and determined that there _was_ no lock.

"For such a huge place like this?" Zack had said dubiously.

"These guys must've had one hell of an honor system," Cid had added.

After exploring the large house and reading the few documents scattered throughout the many rooms, Aerith had determined that the building had been the dormitory of the lower-ranking members of the Geomancers Guild. Furthermore, the west wing was for the males, while the east wing was for the females. Deciding that this was the perfect place to stay, the group split up accordingly. Keeping with the dorm's tradition, the men split up into two of the dorm rooms in the west wing. The six women ended up piling into one room in the east wing that held three double-decker bunk-beds; enough to accommodate each of them.

"Hey, Aerith…" Tifa said as she sat on one of the bottom beds, "What's your idea of the Promised Land? I'm guessing you grew up being taught about it, right? What do you think it's like?"

Aerith smiled, placing her candle on the windowsill. "Sometimes, I dream of this endless field, filled with nothing but flowers. The sun is out, and I can feel the wind on my face. I lie down in the grass, and it's so comfortable, that I fall asleep within my own dream…and I wake up."

"But…" Tifa spoke before trailing off. A worried look appeared on her face.

"What is it?" Aerith prodded her friend.

"If the Promised Land is for the Ancients…and you and your family are the only ones left…what happens if you fall in love with someone? What happens after you and your partner are both gone? Will you be separated?"

A troubled look appeared on Aerith's face. However, she didn't bother to immediately cover it up as she always did. Tifa was right, though. Her own father was gone...absorbed into the Lifestream. Would the same thing happen to Barnabas? Would her mother lose the second love of her life all over again someday?

"There has to be a way…" she whispered.

"Really?" Freyra interjected skeptically, "Fifty-odd years isn't enough for you, especially considering there _isn't_ even a candidate? I mean, it's not like I've heard any of you girls mentioning any sweethearts…" She then turned to Cissnei and grinned. "Well, maybe _one_ of you..."

"Ah, yes…" Tifa said, turning to Cissnei as well. She wore a smug smile. "You seem to be a little cozy with Zack, am I right?"

"Great…" Cissnei sighed, "We've finally gotten to the point on this journey where we have nothing to do but gossip?"

"Aw, it's just nice to know that Zack's efforts to find a girl have finally paid off," Tifa giggled, "Now maybe he'll leave the rest of us alone."

Aerith winced, hoping Tifa hadn't opened up a can of worms.

Cissnei stared evenly at the young striker. "So he still does that, does he?" she said easily.

Aerith let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Wait…" she realized, "You mean you knew all along that Zack acts like a total ladies' man, and you still…?"

"I let him take me on a breakfast date," Cissnei clarified, "One date. It's not like he proposed marriage."

"Lots of guys act like that when they're 'casting their net', so to speak," Freyra explained, "I had that guy pegged from the start, you know. Once it gets serious between him and somebody, he'll probably never even look at another girl."

"Thank the gods for small miracles," Elfé droned as she lay sprawled on a bed. She then looked at Aerith. "What's next, Aerith? Did the planet say anything else?"

Aerith frowned. "Yes…but it didn't make much sense."

"Your mom always said the same thing," Elfé reminded her, "How is it 'not making sense' this time?"

"It said to rest…the both of us," Aerith answered.

Elfé sat up. "You and your mom?"

Aerith shook her head. "No…I think it was implying someone here. I'll bet it was talking about Genesis."

"So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Freyra wanted to know.

"We rest too, I suppose," Elfé said, yawning as if to prove her point.

"Well, then," Freyra said, "Maybe another trip back to Bone Village is in order."

"What for?" Elfé asked.

"Swimsuits," Freyra explained, "Am I supposed to go swimming wearing this stiff old thing?" She fingered the collar of her new green button-down shirt. "And I sure as hell am not skinny-dipping with all these guys around. I'll bet that pilot and his buddies are a bunch of pervs..." A faint look of amusement and conceit crossed her face before she continued: "And I'm not holding myself responsible for any nosebleeds that Zack's two buddies get."

"Tomorrow afternoon, if nothing else happens first," Elfé said, "I'm tired. It's been a long day, and I'm not letting you run off by yourself. Sephiroth and Angeal will be standing guard at both exits tonight, so don't think of trying anything."

Freya sat on a bed, flopping on her back as she let out an exaggerated groan. "Damn, Cissnei- how are we supposed to slit everyone's throats in their sleep and run off if Sephiroth and that other guy are all the way at the exits?"

"Keep talking like that," Elfé goaded her acidly, "I'm sure eventually we'll find a nice dungeon or jail cell to throw you into. You'd be all alone too, since your partner seems to be much more cooperative…"

Cissnei, not wanting to get involved, rolled over on the bed she was laying on.

Elfé yawned and then stood up. "I'm going to go change," she announced before leaving the room.

Aerith, who had already changed into a camisole and shorts, climbed up the ladder to the top bunk, while Tifa lay on the bottom bunk. Shera lay in the next bunk on the bottom level, reading a book, a flashlight ready for when the lights went out. Freyra and Cissnei walked over to the last bunk on the other end of the room as they talked amongst themselves.

"Hey, Aerith?" Tifa spoke.

"Yeah?"

"How many of those candles do you have?"

"A few, why?"

"I was just thinking…" Tifa then hesitated. "Oh wait," she said, sounding discouraged, "He'd have to have a candle burning for me at home, wouldn't he?"

"Oh…" Aerith realized, "Are you thinking about your dad?"

"Yeah." Tifa's voice sounded rather subdued.

"Know what?" Aerith climbed down again and opened her travel pack. "Let's light a candle for him anyway. Even if he doesn't have one burning for you, he has to know you're thinking about him. You mailed that letter you were writing him when we were in Ingus, right?"

Tifa nodded as she sat up. "I took your advice about not putting my name on it. My father would recognize my handwriting anyway. Anyway, I explained everything."

Aerith placed a new candle on the windowsill, just barely able to fit it into the protective glass with the original candle. She then sparked another match, using it to light the second candle.

"I'm sorry…"

Both Aerith and Tifa turned around to see Elfé walking over to them, dressed in a simple tank top and shorts. She leaned against the wall, only a few feet from Tifa.

"It's my fault your training journey got derailed," Elfé sighed, "No parent should have to worry about their kid…" She trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

The three young women remained where they were, staring out the window as each of them took the time to think about their respective parents/caretakers, each of them offering up a silent prayer for those left behind...

* * *

A/N: I know it's not REALLY called Ajit, and that some fanboy/girl initially just made bad subtitles for Advent Children prior to its North American release, but I decided to adopt some more "fanon". The name has been used in a few decent stories I've read, so I figured, why not?


	31. Chapter 10: Impasse

Shout-outs:

Sakurablossomehime, BelieverofManyThings, Greatazuredragon, Danish 78, LivvyWoolf: Thanks for reading!

GalanthaDreams: Have you played the Nibelheim part of the game you get to control Sephiroth? His stats ARE that maxed. ;)

Ardwynna Morrigu: Sephiroth doesn't have to feel too bad about his lineage now, despite knowing his grandmother was also bat-shit crazy and a lush to boot.

Catxangel: Patience, you. ;) It takes a lot of guts on both ends to try and change the entire nature of a relationship from platonic to romantic. Unfortunately, they're both terrified, and both are stubborn people.

JazzQueen: I do enjoy writing the Aerith and Tifa friendship(as well as Angeal and Zack). I actually like writing friendships more than romance.

Faunalind: Just keep reading, then. :)

* * *

Chapter 10: Impasse

Lenny and Brick had been put on guard duty regarding the _Highwind_. Shera and Cid often spent time on the airship as well, making sure that the barrier wasn't having any kind of negative effects on their primary mode of transportation. Occasionally, Cid would have the airship take off briefly, listening to scanners in hopes of learning anything from "the Shinra frequencies", as he called them. Eventually, Cissnei realized his intentions and informed Cid that unless the Shinra were to send people up north, they would be too far away to pick up on anything.

_"But," she pointed out, "that's good news for us. They obviously have no clue where we are."_

Genesis had taken to bed grudgingly, as per Aerith's advice. While she wasn't meditating, she was looking after the increasingly cranky redhead. The others had begun to explore the city, after Aerith reassured everyone that there were no monsters in the city(the one in the pillar room had clearly been a fluke, she had said, and the spirit energy had probably killed it right away). Along with the arboretum, a large cathedral had been discovered, located in another even lower level of the city.

_"Aren't churches supposed to reach for the skies?" Freyra wondered, "I'm not a spiritual person myself, but still…"_

_"No, it makes perfect sense," Aerith told her, "Think about it. Wouldn't it make sense for it to be closer to the Lifestream?"_

The arboretum had several apple and peach trees, all ripe with fruit despite it not being in season.

_"Just like our dumbapples," Angeal said as he and Genesis proceeded to pick the fruit._

_"Dumb-everything," Genesis chucked, "The Cetra really know how to fool these plants and trees into bearing fruit whenever it suits them…even when they're not around to eat anything."_

Another marvel regarding the city was the pristine condition that the subterranean tier was in. Not a speck of dust could be seen, let alone any cobwebs. The stone buildings showed no wear and tear. It was almost as though the city had been evacuated only a few days ago.

Sephiroth couldn't help but feel thankful that the Shinra hadn't found out about the hidden area of the city.

Their greatest discovery was a building that appeared to be a hospital of sorts. Aerith soon found the pharmacy, and found a few vials she had only seen before once in Bugenhagen's study. The chief elder had kept empty vials of potions that had long ago been lost to civilization. However, these containers were full, much to Aerith's elation.

"Are you sure those didn't expire hundreds of years ago?" Kunsel asked warily.

While the others were scattered about the main square, Aerith, Kunsel, Sephiroth and Genesis stood in the back room of the pharmacy. Just like the rest of the silent city, the hospital was free of dust, cobwebs, or any other wear and tear that two thousand years should have brought about.

"Potions don't expire," Aerith told him with a patient smile. "They're made using spirit energy, same as materia. Our souls are eternal- they have no expiration date either. It's all made up of the same stuff." Her smile then faded. "I just worry about what I might be giving Genesis. All the descriptions are clear, but I'm not a healer the way these people who lived here were healers. It's like comparing a person with a first-aid kit to a real doctor who's had all the proper training."

"You've done fine so far," Genesis reassured her.

"Try this." Aerith handed him a small vial. "It's for cell development. If your condition is due to poor cell structure like Hollander said, it could be worth a shot."

"I'll try anything at this point," Genesis said as he opened the vial and quickly downed the strange liquid.

Much to everybody's surprise, Genesis had made a temporary recovery that lasted roughly 72 hours before he needed another vial. He and Aerith agreed, however, that the finite amount of medicine should be conserved for situations that were absolutely necessary. In the meantime, he was content to tough it out as he had always done, and ceased his bed-rest as quickly as he had started it.

However, the party's initial excitement upon reaching the city known as Ajit had dwindled after four days of waiting for any kind of clue. According to Aerith, the planet had gone eerily silent. Despite meditating in the city arboretum every evening, the young Ancient was unable to make any kind of connection…much to her chagrin.

* * *

Another morning had come and gone, with Aerith not getting anything useful from her sessions. It was now lunchtime, and the sixteen fugitives were sitting in the dining area in the dormitory's back yard eating fish and fruit(for the third day in a row). Everybody was starting to become restless, and now they were discussing ideas on how to make use of their time.

"Modeoheim was supposedly home to a supercomputer that was never packed up when the facilities were abandoned," Cissnei said, "If we're waiting around for Aerith on some sort of 'vision quest', then we might as well take advantage of nobody being there. We can see if it still works…if it can be repaired. Maybe I can find out more about Project T."

Elfé shook her head warily. "What happens if Shinra traces the net activity up there? They would instantly know something is up, and they could make it up north in just one day. If troops end up storming Modeoheim, what's to keep them from spilling over here? All it takes is for them to know we're here, and they'll surround the place."

"They would try and starve us out," Sephiroth added.

"Good luck with that," Zack chuckled as he bit into an apple. "This place could feed us indefinitely."

"Ugh, I don't know about you…" Cid grumbled, picking up his fork and frowning at the piece of fish stuck on the end, "…but I'm getting pretty fucking sick of living off the land. If the Shinra trap us here, I'll go fucking crazy."

"This isn't exactly where I pictured spending the rest of my life," Elfé agreed, "Besides, Sephiroth did say there was a hole in the barrier. Even if Aerith can close up that fish gate, all it takes is for them to drop one bomb through that hole and we're finished. I know Scarlet could come up with something that could wipe the entire city out."

"I can look into fixing the hole," Aerith offered, "My ancestors say it can be done."

"What about the planet?" Sephiroth wanted to know.

Aerith frowned. "It's…not making sense again."

Sephiroth nodded, knowing this was nothing new.

"What is it this time?" Elfé asked.

Aerith couldn't help but smile. By now, both Sephiroth and Elfé had become all-too familiar with the dynamics of her holy connection. "Okay, well, first off, it seems fine with letting my ancestors say what needs to be said. But…my ancestors don't really use words. They use images. I see the same thing: some kind of…pod? Like you see in sci-fi movies, that hold aliens, or human prisoners."

"Sweet!" Luxiere joked, "We're gonna be visited by aliens now?"

Aerith shrugged helplessly. "It's all I've got. It still thinks I should 'rest'."

Everyone continued to eat silently for a moment, before Freyra spoke up:

"It's easy to disguise your I.P. address, you know…especially since there's two supercomputers in Midgar, and one hidden in Nibelheim."

"Nibelheim?" Elfé echoed, staring suspiciously at Freyra.

"Let's just say there's a few interesting secrets that the Shinra mansion has to offer," Freyra said, "That includes a path through the sewers that travels between the mansion and the reactor. There's also a secret passage in the basement of the mansion itself, which is where their supercomputer is. I've had a lot of missions in Nibelheim, so I was able to learn a lot. Though I never did figure out how to open that damned safe…or that one room in the basement."

Elfé looked at her plate of food and scooped up another spoonful of catfish stew. "Thanks for the tidbit," she said curtly.

"Think of what kind of secrets might be on the server over there," Genesis said to Elfé.

"The kind of priceless info would serve Avalanche well," Angeal added.

Elfé turned to Freyra, her initial reservations toward the Turk clearly cracking. "Disguise the I.P. address, you said?"

"I could do that," Kunsel offered, "That's what I've been doing every time I get online since we've been traveling with you guys."

"Yeah, Kunsel's pretty good at covering his tracks when he's gathering info," Luxiere added.

"Maybe…" Elfé considered, "All right, I see your point. It _would_ be the perfect place to check out given the location and any potential resources. But I can't stress enough how careful we'll have to be. Like I said, it would be a disaster if the Shinra were to discover where we are."

"I should stay here," Aerith announced, "The planet wanted me here, and leaving doesn't feel right."

"I'll stay as well," Sephiroth immediately offered, "You shouldn't be wandering around here all by yourself.

"Why don't you keep Aerith company as well, Tifa?" Elfé suggested, knowing now how Aerith felt about Sephiroth. The last thing she wanted was a soap opera occurring while she and the others were away, and Aerith's new gal-pal seemed to be the perfect buffer. On top of that, Elfé didn't feel right dragging Tifa along. The girl was talented- Elfé couldn't deny that. But she was never supposed to actually join up with Avalanche. Asking her to get involved directly in Avalanche's affairs just didn't sit right with Elfé.

Tifa nodded, looking slightly disappointed that she hadn't been invited to help.

"Then I'll be staying behind as well," Zangan announced. He looked at Tifa. "You're still my responsibility, and you and I have been slacking off on your training for the past couple of days. Time to get back on track."

"Yes, Master Zangan!" Tifa answered briskly.

"Actually, this might be the perfect time for us to work on anti-grappling techniques," Zangan said, looking at Aerith. "Would you be willing to help us in your spare time?"

"Sure!" Aerith said brightly.

Tifa smiled, feeling better already. After all, it wasn't everyone who got to train in such a strange new place.

Angeal looked at Genesis. "I suppose there's no point trying to convince you to stay behind as well?" he asked.

"I'll take a vial of that Ancient stuff before we head off," Genesis said, staring at his friend, almost daring him to object.

Angeal sighed. "When should we head out?" he asked.

"We should head back to Bone Village today and pick up some more supplies for the journey," Elfé answered, "While we're there, we can also take advantage and make contact with anyone we need to speak to. I think we should take the excavators up on their offer to dig up more Lunar Harps. If the people staying behind need to go into town, we'll need extras."

"Sounds good to me," Zack spoke up, "We've been spinning our wheels all week."

Elfé nodded in agreement before glancing back at Cissnei and Freyra. If nothing else, the trip might also be a good opportunity for her to see where the two Turks' loyalties lay. She then looked over at Cid. "How are we doing on fuel?" she asked him.

"Fine." The pilot waved his hand dismissively, "We've got plenty of coal for the trip, and Bone Village sells enough if we need more later on."

"Then I suppose we should plan to head out first thing tomorrow morning," Elfé said.

* * *

Aerith sat in the library later that afternoon, looking over a book on defensive magic. The list of spells included barriers, and she had been trying to figure out if any of the spells were related to the ward that protected Ajit.

However, her reading skills regarding the Cetra language were lacking considerably. There hadn't been many books in Cosmo Canyon written in the extinct language, save for a few children's books and some history tomes that her mother had read. The vocabulary in the spell book was considerably sophisticated, and Aerith was really beginning to hate how her ancestors spelled their words. She wasn't surprised that humans came up with their own written language. Cetran was far too consonant-heavy, and trying to read it made her feel like a first-grader all over again.

"Hello."

Aerith looked up and saw Sephiroth approaching her.

"Have the others come back from Bone Village yet?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said, "I've been walking around here for the past half-hour." Sephiroth pulled up a chair and sat down at the table, across from Aerith. "What are you doing now?"

"Trying to figure out how I can repair the ward on the city like I said I would," she answered. Her brow furrowed and a frustrated expression appeared on her face. "This is the book my ancestors kept showing me, but reading it is hard. My family and I speak Cetran just fine, but I didn't exactly have enough books written in it for me to get the hang of reading it."

"Let me see…" Sephiroth took the book and began looking it over. "But Aerith…this spell requires more than one person. You're the only Cetra with us."

"Where does it say that?" Aerith asked.

"Right here." Sephiroth slid the book back to Aerith, his finger on the aforementioned paragraph.

"You're right, it's plural…" Aerith sighed, "I misread what they were trying to say. Reading passages is a lot harder than reading labels." She then frowned at him. "How do you know how to read Cetran so well?"

"Your mother taught me the Cetran alphabet when I was nine," Sephiroth told her, "Memorizing things always came easily to me. The same thing happened when I learned to speak Wutain and Costan. Reading was a breeze once I memorized the letters and the corresponding phonics. The Shinra library also had an entire section of Cetran books. Sometimes I would sneak a few to your mother."

Aerith stared at him, looking slightly miffed. "You make it really hard not to be jealous of you sometimes," she admitted.

"I was designed to have an IQ that surpassed even your father, let alone mine," Sephiroth explained, "Hojo was the ultimate example of a parent living vicariously through their child. My gifts were simply another means to further his own ends."

Aerith looked troubled. "Why was Hojo so jealous of my father? How could such a solid friendship go so sour?"

"It would be pointless to come up with any theories regarding that," Sephiroth said, shaking his head.

"Well…" Aerith slid the book back across the table. "Maybe you can help me out with this? My ancestors say it doesn't need to be Cetra helping me. You've got pretty powerful magic yourself. Maybe when Angeal and Genesis get back from Modeoheim, we can ask them to help us as well."

Sephiroth took the book and looked it over. "It's worth a try."

"I can't believe I've known you my whole life," Aerith mused, "yet, I never knew you read Cetran so well. Shows how you think you really know a person…"

"It's just another ability I never use," Sephiroth said, shrugging.

"Like your ballet lessons back at Shinra?" Aerith teased.

Sephiroth sighed, leaning back in his chair. "What did we agree regarding _that?_" he asked, glaring at her.

"Never mention it to anybody, because nobody appreciates how much it improves agility," Aerith recited, as if by rote. She then smiled. "It was still sweet of you to try and teach me when I was four. I can't remember why I didn't stick with it, though."

"If my memory serves me correctly, you saw something shiny and ran off," Sephiroth quipped, "All we were doing was stretching. You didn't even make it to the first plié."

"Yep, if I'd stayed there any longer, they'd have added stimulants to my drug regiment," Aerith said, her expression souring slightly. She stood up and closed the book before tucking it underneath her arm. "Well, I guess I'm done here. We might as well go up to the surface and wait for the others. We can tell them the good news regarding the barrier. At least I'll have _something_ to tell them."

"Don't let it get to you," Sephiroth told her as they walked out of the library and into the street. "Remember what your mother said to you the other night. The planet always has a reason for what it does, or doesn't do."

"I know," Aerith sighed, "I just don't really like the fact that the planet is making me look like an idiot."

"That's all in your head," Sephiroth replied, "We've shaken our pursuers off of our tail once again, and the others are taking advantage of this free time to do whatever is necessary. That includes you. The planet will speak, or perhaps it's your ancestors who you should continue to listen to. Maybe those pods you mentioned seeing...perhaps they're in a secret room?"

"We've already combed over the city twice," Aerith complained, "Plus, what I saw didn't match with the rest of the city's interior. I'm seriously stumped here…"

* * *

"Hey, there they are!" Luxiere announced as he pointed at the shell building, from where the two had emerged.

Everybody had apparently decided to have an impromptu swimming party in the lake. Sephiroth and Aerith watched as Zack and Cissnei engaged in a chicken-fight with Brick and Freyra in the shallow end. In the center of the lake, Lenny, Cid, Luxiere, Kunsel, Tifa, and Zangan could be seen circling around Shera. Her eyes were closed and she was attempting to tag one of them. Off to the other side, Angeal and Elfé were treading water, discussing something…most likely their plans for the Modeoheim trip.

"Come on and join us!" Kunsel invited as he managed to do a forward flip in the water. He then began swimming in the other direction.

"We got you a couple swimsuits too!" Tifa called out from the middle of the lake.

"I guess everyone's back," Aerith giggled.

"It would seem that way," Sephiroth said, "I guess we know what everyone else decided to buy along with their food and supplies…"

"Don't feel like swimming?" Aerith asked Genesis, who sat on the ground several feet away from the building.

"Headache," Genesis answered, "I picked out a pair of trunks for you, Sephiroth. Tifa picked out a swimsuit for Aerith. In the bag over there…" He pointed at a small bag that sat near a pile of towels about fifteen feet from the water.

Aerith walked over to the bag, hoping that Tifa hadn't bought her anything skimpy. To her relief, she pulled out a red one-piece. She smiled, noting that it looked almost identical to the red bathing suit she use to wear while playing in the sprinklers with the other children when she was six.

"Fish-out-of-water!" Shera shouted as Tifa waded over to the shore.

"I got water in my ear!" Tifa called back, "Go on without me!"

She grabbed a towel off the ground and began drying her hair, while keeping her head tilted to the side. Looking over at Aerith, she grinned. "I don't suppose you have a spell for that, do you?"

Aerith smiled back and shrugged as she followed her friend. "Sorry. I'm only good for gaping wounds, afflictions, and making dead monsters disappear."

"Water in the ear _is _an affliction as far as I'm concerned," Tifa quipped, "But…oh wait, it's out…" She put the towel to her ear. "Why don't put on your new swimsuit and join us?"

Aerith sat down and glanced at her feet, looking uncomfortable.

"Can't swim?" Tifa guessed as she sat down next to Aerith.

The demi-Cetra sighed and shook her head. "And it looks like I'm the only one," she said sadly, watching as Shera managed to tag Cid...right in the face.

"Ow, shit!" the pilot exclaimed as he cupped his hands over his nose, "You're supposed to tag me- not try and break my goddamned nose!"

"Sorry, Captain!" Shera fretted.

Kunsel was the next to emerge from the water, approaching the two girls. "Not gonna come in?" he asked Aerith.

"Can't swim," Aerith muttered, hugging her knees.

"Ah, cheer up," Kunsel said as he walked over to them and sat down on the other side of Aerith. "Hey, I know exactly how you feel. I grew up in Sector Four, but they didn't open up the public rec center with the pool until last year, thanks to that new guy they appointed in charge of Urban Development. So I was the only recruit in my unit that didn't know how to swim. Guess what they did?"

Aerith and Tifa both exchanged glances before looking back at him and shrugging.

"They threw me into the canal and shouted at me to paddle," Kunsel told them, "Well, I managed to figure it out before going under the last time." He burst out laughing, although Aerith could feel pain radiating from the young man.

"Don't even _think_ about it!" Tifa exclaimed as she put her arm in front of Aerith protectively.

Kunsel smiled. "Relax. I'd rather not have Sephiroth cut me into pieces. Besides…I'd never wish it on anybody. Scared the shit out of me."

At that, he waded back into the water. Once it was deep enough, he lay on his back and began to float. Freyra and Zack then spotted him and grabbed his wrists, towing him around the water.

"Whee!" Kunsel exclaimed.

"That's so mean..." said Aerith, "I'm surprised he isn't terrified of swimming."

"Midgar seems like a nasty place," Tifa agreed, "I'm never living there, that's for sure!"

"It's my turn to cook," Aerith announced as she stood up, "I should get started. Looks like you're all going to work up a good appetite."

Tifa watched as her friend walked away, before feeling something wet on the back of her neck. She shrieked and stood up, only to see Luxiere standing about ten feet away from her, holding something behind his back.

"What did you do?!" she shouted accusingly, "What's that you've got there?!"

"What, this little thing?" Luxiere teased as he revealed a small pump-action water gun. Quickly, he squirted her in the face.

"You're dead!" Tifa yelled as she took off after him.

* * *

Hollander sighed impatiently, looking around the elevator as he rode down to the Sector 0 mako reactor. From there, he knew how to get to the secret door to the passageway that eventually led to Deepground. Still, he knew there would be an armed escort waiting to guide him there safely. It was the rule for all of the scientists working down there. The experiments were more dangerous, the test subjects more unstable. What had happened to Jenny Shinra was nothing compared to the mother of one of Deepground's greatest experiments.

Hollander had heard bits and pieces about a medical lab for injured members of the army when it was first established. However, that had been around the same time as the Jenova Project. Hence, he hadn't had much time to give it much thought. Then he had lost his job, and life went on.

He had been surprised to learn how much Deepground had changed, now becoming a top-secret laboratory seeking to create more powerful soldiers. It had been going on since before SOLDIER had officially been established in 1991. Indeed, Hollander's private chat with President Shinra had made him decide to put his plans on hold…until further notice. Why plan an open revolt when he could trump Hojo in a perfectly legitimate manner? And right now, President Shinra was being nothing but completely accommodating. Of course, Hollander wasn't about to tell Genesis about that, considering that the boy was ultimately out for blood after what Scarlet had done.

Scarlet…that was one more secret Hollander had no plans to reveal to Genesis. The last thing he needed was for his former test subject to learn that Hollander had been carrying out an affair with the woman who he knew had ordered the hit on his parents. Genesis' agreement not to seek instant retribution against the executive had been made very reluctantly. Such a reveal could easily upset the delicate balance. Scarlet was still potentially useful to Hollander, despite her persona non grata status with the company since Corel.

A soldier wearing grey armor with glowing blue pinstripes saluted Hollander as he exited the elevator. The scientist nodded absently and continued walking. The soldier began to follow him.

He had every advantage over Hojo now. His old rival knew enough about the organization to keep him satisfied. However, what Hojo knew paled in comparison to what had recently been revealed to Hollander. Even Scarlet and Heidegger were only privy to certain bits of information, and for good reason. They were meant to surpass SOLDIER, which had been Hojo's masterpiece. Furthermore, the soldiers created there had been done independent of Jenova's cells…until now.

President Shinra's specific request was for Hollander to begin adding J-cells to the experiments in Deepground. He had even had cells retrieved from Nibelheim specifically for Hollander…all under Professor Hojo's nose, of course.

Before Genesis' impromptu leave of absence, Hollander had taken cells from him, in the interest of learning how to stop his degradation. The research that Grimoire Valentine had conducted shortly before his untimely death was now in Hollander's hands. Indeed, today was the day he planned to start researching the power of stagnant mako, and see if it might have any effect on the corrupt Jenova cells that were attacking Genesis. There were already indications in the progress made, that cells could be kept alive without the need for regeneration. One of their more recently-acquired subjects had, according to the notes he had been given, seemed to stop aging altogether.

Investigating her was to be Hollander's first order of business for the day…

* * *

Aerith looked up at the sky, squinting as the late morning sun shined directly into her eyes.

The others had left for Modeoheim over an hour ago, leaving her alone with Sephiroth, Tifa and Zangan. She had spent the morning working with Tifa and Zangan, being Tifa's "assailant" as Zangan instructed her in thwarting most of Aerith's holds. The workout had been vigorous, but it had made Aerith worry that Master Terrato's style might have a few flaws that could be exploited. Sensing Aerith's concerns, Zangan had then offered to show Aerith a few basic kicks that she could employ while using her staff.

Sephiroth had been watching the entire lesson from a nearby grassy knoll. He hadn't said much, but it was clear that he had found the whole thing to be quite entertaining. He rather liked the eccentric old man that had become one of his many traveling companions.

Now the two were sitting together near the lake, looking over another tome that Aerith had taken from the library.

"I think your mother would like to read something like this," Sephiroth said as he thumbed through the book, "It's a historical account of the…something period. I can't pronounce it, much less translate the word."

"I'd rather something here could just jog her memory," said Aerith. "It's too bad she can't just come here, but she can't just leave the kids…" A giggle escaped her. "…They'd go completely wild. I think Daddy would, too."

"She's always managed to maintain order in her family without seizing control," Sephiroth agreed, "It's one of the many things I've always admired about her."

Aerith gazed at the lake, hugging her knees. "I wish they could all be here," she sighed, "They should all be able to see this place, and find out more about what we are. I know we all want to understand…"

"Understand what?" Sephiroth asked, leaning forward curiously.

Aerith closed her eyes. "I don't even understand myself sometimes. I mean…what is an Ancient…a Cetra…supposed to be like? I had my mother around to show me, but even she doesn't really know. I know the kids wonder as well. We've found so many fancy weapons here. Maybe Cass's love of weaponry isn't just something he inherited from Daddy. When Carlie plays an instrument or sings, it really does seem to soothe people. Aunt Harriet says her patients have made miraculous recoveries that she can only attribute to our presence. We're able to grow things year-round that don't normally grow that way. We started off with a few square feet of dirt, and now we have nearly an acre of grass surrounding us. I can understand why people would want to study us. My own birth father wanted to know everything about us." She shook her head sadly. "He left this world having so many unanswered questions…"

"He proved that one can actually try to answer such questions without violating one's basic rights," Sephiroth added.

Aerith smiled and nodded in agreement. "That last part about our yard actually worries me. Eventually, someone will notice our house…somebody who doesn't live by Cosmo Canyon's code of silence regarding us and our four-legged guardians. The five last remaining Ancients and their protectors…and the company who wants us under their microscope at all costs."

Sephiroth said nothing, allowing Aerith to continue unloading her thoughts and feelings.

"I learned a lot over the past twelve years," Aerith said wistfully. She stretched her legs and lay back, sprawling lazily on the ground. "The elders taught me and my family a lot…about the Cetra, the planet…everything. Some things were good, some things weren't. The worst is knowing that we're alone."

"You still all have each other," Sephiroth reminded her.

"I know…" Aerith said sadly as she looked up at the clouds passing by. "I know it could have been worse. The dream I had…it could have been real."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "What dream?"

"It wasn't just Zack, Angeal, Jessie and Tifa who were hurt or killed," Aerith admitted as she folded her hands across her stomach. "Mom didn't survive our escape in my dream. We didn't even make it out of Midgar. You weren't there to keep us safe like you did. I don't know if I found a safe place to live, or if they dragged me back to Shinra alone." She turned her head to the side, blinking back tears. "It could have been so much worse…"

She turned her head back as she felt Sephiroth's hand sliding over hers. She saw him gazing at her, his mako eyes filled with that rare warmth reserved for so few people in his life.

"No regrets," he said quietly before letting go of her.

Aerith smiled again. "Yeah." She then stood up and walked over to the water. Sitting down again, she began to take her shoes and socks off. Setting them aside, she slid her feet into the water and then smiled. The temperature was perfect. "Hey, Seph?" she called out, seemingly recovered.

Sephiroth stood up and walked over to her. "Hmm?"

"Teach me how to swim," Aerith pleaded, giving him her classic puppy-dog eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. "Right now?"

"Everyone else is in Modeoheim," Aerith reminded him, "Tifa's off training. The others _bought_ us swimsuits yesterday. What else is there to do while we wait? I'm already wearing mine under my clothes."

"So you _planned_ this…" Sephiroth said accusingly.

"It's not fair that I'm the only one who can't swim!" Aerith complained, "Everybody lives near water except for me and Elfé, and she already knew how to swim before she lost her memories." She looked away, embarrassed. "…I'm feeling a little jealous, okay?"

"Well…" Sephiroth heaved a sigh as he considered the situation. "…I suppose you're right. Not knowing how to swim could be very dangerous while traveling. If that airship were to crash into the ocean, you'd be in the most danger."

"_And_ you promised you'd keep me safe," Aerith reminded him, "Don't you think teaching me to swim counts as doing just that?"

Sephiroth shook his head resignedly as he began to walk away. "You've made your point. I'll be back. Don't go in any deeper."

"Really? I'm not supposed to walk into the middle of the lake before I learn to swim?" Aerith called out after him sarcastically.

"Don't run off after anything shiny either," Sephiroth shot back. He made his way back to the dorm to change into his swimming trunks, trying to ignore the fact that he would be going through several more tissues tonight. When he returned, Aerith was in her red one-piece, sitting once more with her feet submerged in the water. Her clothes were neatly piled several feet away. As he approached her, she looked up at him and smiled.

"How long do you think it'll take until I get it?" Aerith asked as she stood up.

Sephiroth shrugged. "I don't know. I've never given anyone a swimming lesson before." He extended his hand to her. "Follow me." He led her by the hand several feet into the lake, until the water was about three feet deep.

"This seems about right-," Sephiroth said before he suddenly disappeared below the surface, letting go of Aerith.

"Seph?!" she panicked, freezing right where she was.

Sephiroth quickly resurfaced, spitting water.

"Careful!" he warned as he moved over to her and guided her back about eight feet, "The ground drops out over there and I can't even see the bottom. Let's stay right here. Three feet deep is fine to learn what we'll be working on."

"Which is…?" Aerith asked eagerly.

Sephiroth leaned back, his feet quickly rising to the surface. "Floating," he answered, "There's a lake similar to this one near the temple. When I was younger, I used to swim there. Sometimes, I'd just lie back and zone out. Once, I even fell asleep. Thankfully I don't toss and turn that often."

Aerith laughed. "Really?"

"It's quite peaceful," Sephiroth explained, "You might be tempted to do the same once you master it."

"I'd rather actually be moving around than sleeping in the water," said Aerith.

"Yes, to this day you can't seem to keep still," said Sephiroth, "I've got my work cut out for me."

"Hey!" Aerith splashed him.

Sephiroth quickly grabbed Aerith, threatening to drop her.

"Ah, no fair!" Aerith shrieked, "Put me down!"

"Very well…" Sephiroth moved to throw her.

"…NOT LIKE THAT!" Aerith wrapped her arms and legs around him like an octopus.

"So easy to get a rise out of you…" Sephiroth chuckled as he moved his hands away, indicating that he wasn't planning anything.

Aerith warily hopped down, into the water. "You are _evil!_" she exclaimed, her finger pressing against Sephiroth's nose.

"Yes, yes…" Sephiroth said in a placating tone as he moved her hand away, "Now lie back against my hands."

He stepped back, extending the palms of his hands for her to rest on.

"Okay…" Aerith leaned back against Sephiroth's hands, turning slightly. "Ahh- I'm gonna sink!" she panicked, flailing her arms and legs.

"Of course you'll sink if you keep moving," he said patiently as he continued to hold her up. "You have to keep _still_. Anyway, if you hold your breath, sinking won't be the end of the world. All you have to do is stand up and you're fine."

"How am I supposed to learn to _swim_ if I have to keep still?" Aerith protested as she stopped moving.

"One step at a time," Sephiroth answered patiently.

* * *

"Yo!" Zack shouted from up ahead, "Don't fall too far behind!"

"Still no signal out here," Freyra lamented as she held her PHS up.

"I doubt we'll end up getting one," Angeal said as everyone trudged through the snowy mountains.

The group had been hiking for roughly thirty minutes, having finally reached the snowy lands that surrounded the abandoned town. Everybody was now bundled up, save for the SOLDIERs, Angeal, and Genesis. Zack, being familiar with the harsh terrain from past missions, led the group.

Cid's trainees remained on the _Highwind_, which had landed roughly three miles from Modeoheim. They had spent several minutes searching the rocky terrain for a decent spot to land. According to Cid, it was the closest they would be able to land safely.

Shera looked around, suppressing a sigh as she observed the protective circle that everyone had formed around her. Out of everyone in the group, she was the least useful combat-wise. The group had already held off several Replicons, while the young scientist had hidden fearfully behind Cid.

"I'm sorry…" she said finally, "I really hope I'll be of use to you guys when we arrive."

"Of course you'll be," Cid scoffed, "What the hell are you going on about?"

"I'm completely useless," Shera fretted, "You all held those monsters off, and I did absolutely nothing."

"You're not even armed," Freyra said, looking Shera over. "Why would you want to get involved?" The Turk reached into her belongings and pulled out a sheath with a sizable hunting knife inside. "Here…at least it's something." She handed it to Shera, who slipped it in her belt.

"Thank you," Shera said, grateful to be at least somewhat armed.

"Heads up!" Zack shouted as he drew his sword, charging into a swarm of Bizarre Bugs. He managed to take the giant insects out with just a few swings. "Conflict resolved," he announced, stretching his arms in a cocky manner.

"Very nice," Angeal droned, patting the SOLDIER on the head, much to his chagrin.

"What's this?" Genesis asked, walking up to a large metal pipe that had been installed in the mountainside.

"Proof that we're getting closer to Modeo Ravine," Elfé announced, "Let's go, but be careful. The path looks pretty steep from here on out. Still, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can find someplace warm and eat something."

Everybody murmured in agreement before they started to walk down the mountain, toward the valley below.

"By the way, our primary objective is to locate the supercomputer," Elfé added, "At the same time, we also want to make sure this place can be used as a base of operations."

"In other words, don't break anything?" Zack asked glibly.

"Smart man," Elfé said, pointing at the SOLDIER.

"You guys think there might be anything inside that warehouse over there?" Cid asked while pointing at a large building down below.

"We'll find out once we get there," Elfé answered as they continued to make their way down.

* * *

"Who taught you to swim, anyway?" Aerith asked as she lay perfectly still, having done so successfully for the past few minutes. However, after ten minutes of floating on and off, she refused to let Sephiroth remove his hands from her back.

"I don't remember," Sephiroth admitted, "I was taught as an infant, since at that age, one can instinctively move in the water, and remember to hold their breath. A baby then knows how to turn over float on their back. I don't know who worked with me…some transient worker. But, long story short: I've always remembered knowing how to swim."

Aerith pouted. "Why didn't they do that with me, I wonder? Swimming might've been fun."

"Because your mother fought tooth and nail to be with you all the time," Sephiroth explained. "It wasn't until the president started going over Hojo's head to let me spend time with the two of you that she would relax during her tests…if she knew I'd be there to play with you in her absence. Hojo hated it, though. It was time I should have spent training. The president would say, 'All work and no play makes Sephiroth a neurotic young man.'."

"The future Shinra general playing with a toddler," Aerith giggled, "How 'un-manly'!"

"The president wanted me to be a man that the public could relate to," Sephiroth explained, "I'm sure that had I stayed, he might have tried to find me a wife. Some good woman who could bring morale to the company, and boost my image. Protector of the empire, and a family man…not to mention, Hojo could then experiment on my offspring."

"You think they might have ever tried to breed _us_?" Aerith asked bluntly.

Sephiroth abruptly let go, causing Aerith to turn over and sink. He immediately reached down and grabbed her, pulling the sputtering girl back up.

"Geez!" she coughed, "It was just a question! No need to _drown_ me!"

"I'm sorry…" he said hastily. "You know, if you hadn't turned your entire body, you would have stayed floating even if I did let go."

"Sure," Aerith muttered, "Blame me. I'm just saying, he could have easily extracted eggs from me…" she then giggled, "…and given you a dirty magazine and a jar."

"When I was eleven…" Sephiroth told her reluctantly, "…Hojo had me come with him to one of the labs, where I witnessed two monsters mating. I was completely repulsed, but his only response was that everybody ends up doing that at some point in their lives, and that I was no exception. He forced me to watch the whole thing. It was my first introduction to sexual education. For a year, I would change the channel if I even saw kissing on TV. It always ended up reminding me of..._that_."

"But you're not a monster," Aerith reminded him as she touched his shoulder.

"...I know…" Sephiroth replied uncomfortably.

"Let's try again," Aerith suggested. Sephiroth obligingly held his hands out, which the demi-Cetra immediately leaned against. Her feet rose to the surface once again.

"You would not have been the kind of woman the Shinra wanted for my wife if your mother could help it," said Sephiroth, "She was already raising you to be rebellious."

"They can make people do anything…" Aerith pointed out.

"Not us…" Sephiroth replied, "Remember that. They lost, and we won."

Aerith smiled at the thought. "Yeah…"

"Just so you know…you're floating."

"I am?" Aerith's face lit up. To her credit, she did not move, and remained afloat.

"You didn't even notice I let go, did you?"

"You kept distracting me by having that conversation!"

"So I did…" Sephiroth remarked as he took her arm and gently dragged the still-floating girl toward the shore.

"Where are we going?" Aerith giggled.

"Tifa and Zangan will be returning soon," Sephiroth reminded her, "It'll be lunchtime then. Let's go."

* * *

A/N: It may not be Zack and a flower wagon, but Aerith was bound to behave in a similarly difficult and frustrating manner with Sephiroth and her swimming lesson. :P

I used to wonder why Cloud was able to wade into the lake up to his waist, but when he dropped Aerith's body, it sank about twenty feet. Someone once theorized to me that the "shallow end" of the lake is actually a cliff.

So now we have Hollander being privy to Deepground's secrets instead of Hojo. Sephiroth's escape has caused a chain reaction that President Shinra now blames Hojo for. It wouldn't make sense for the president to entrust him with too much knowledge regarding the organization. Now that Shinra has their scapegoats, they can place their hopes on someone else(despite the fact that he was once a scapegoat as well). I always assumed President Shinra would have been too young to be president back when the Jenova Project took place(unless his own predecessor also met an untimely end). Just like Rufus decided to run things differently, I'd assume President Shinra might do the same once he had the power.

Anyway, there's your "Author Fan-verse Theory" for the day. Thank you for reading, and I'll update as soon as I can!


	32. Chapter 11: Modeoheim

Shout-Outs:

Expressz641: Thanks! I'm enjoying writing these scenes in Ajit. Believe me, I haven't even begun to scratch the surface on the Cetra. It's a shame Before Crisis was never released outside of Japan, but at least there's the play-throughs I can watch. The whole plot with Veld and Elfé was both intriguing and tragic. I haven't even gotten to the connection between those two, but I will.

Faunalind: Angeal and Elfé have a lot in common. They're both passionate, no-nonsense individuals who want to do the right thing by those who can't defend themselves. They both use swords, and they're both very level-headed for the most part. Unfortunately, it also means they have to be the parents in this misfit family they've amassed. :/

As for Aerith and Sephiroth, they're getting very close to the breaking point. They'll have to acknowledge their feelings eventually.

Sakurablossomhime: My pleasure! Clearly, those two just need a little push…

Ardwynna Morrigu: He sure didn't need the dirty magazine back in Rocket Town. At least she wasn't wearing a bikini/thong… ;)

JazzQueen: Indeed. Hojo hasn't been carrying his weight in this universe, and the president isn't too far from "running scared". But neither Hollander nor Fuhito have Shinra's best interests at heart either. Good help is hard to find… :P

BelieverOfManyThings: Thanks! I aim to please. :D

* * *

Chapter 11: Modeoheim

Several lanterns flashed about inside the large underground chamber that had stood empty and without power for years. The floor above was simply another of the many warehouses scattered about Modeoheim. However, after careful examination, a fake wall had been discovered and easily pushed aside. A narrow pathway led to a set of stairs, which descended to the room that Elfé and the others had been looking for.

"Fuuuuuck…!" Cid groaned as he stared at Modeoheim's supercomputer, whose giant monitor had a large crack in it.

He, along with Elfé, Kunsel, and Angeal stood in front of the broken screen, while Shera and Freyra wandered around, examining the many cabinets that lined the large chamber, each holding dozens of processors. Everyone else had split up around the town, looking for any spare weapons, materia, data, or anything else that could be taken back to Ajit with them.

"No good, Captain…" Shera called from across the room. She shivered against the cold air as she wiped the dust off of a cabinet. "There's a lot of processors and storage devices that are literally cracked from exposure over the years."

"Ditto that here!" Freyra called out from where she stood, examining another cabinet.

Elfé walked up to Shera. "Do we need all of the processors to work in order for this thing to function properly?"

"Not at all," Shera answered, "The mainframe miraculously seems to be intact. But, it's the storage devices I'm most worried about. I imagine part of your goal is finding any and all Shinra secrets that are housed here. There could be a lot of holes in whatever you find if you can only access part of the files here."

"Can they be fixed?" Angeal asked.

Shera shook her head. "Possibly, but not by me. This is out of my league. I'm sorry...I didn't know the damage would be this bad, else I'd have stayed back with Aerith."

"Kunsel?" Elfé looked at the 2nd Class SOLDIER.

"No dice," he replied helplessly, brushing a bit of dust off of one of the broken processors. "Software and intel are my specialty. Hardware...that's a whole other animal."

"Not a single computer technician in the group…" Elfé muttered. She then took a deep breath and then exhaled. "Well, then I guess we'll have to bring in outside help."

"Who?" Kunsel asked curiously.

Elfé smirked. "Patience, kid. For now, let's catch up with the others and see what they've found. Now that we know what we need to do, we can help them out before we head back."

"This was kind of a let-down," Kunsel complained as they all walked over to the stairs, "Where in the world are _we_ gonna get a screen that big?"

"That's an old screen," Cid piped up, "It's made of glass. Plenty of places could make sheets of it big enough to replace that thing."

"Like Midgar," Elfé interjected.

Cid shook his head. "There's gotta be a place closer than that."

"Possibly," Elfé replied, "But Midgar is where we'll find the person who could possibly fix the processors. I didn't think I'd have to involve her, but it is what it is."

"Well, we've got plenty of room for her, whoever she is," Kunsel said.

Elfé nodded as she and the others ascended the stairs.

"That database had better not turn out to be empty," Cid muttered as they reached the fake wall, stepping back into the main part of the warehouse.

Elfé squinted at the sunlight that now poured through the large windows. "If they had enough time to erase every file, they could have used that time to pack up all the parts. The latter would've been more prudent."

"I heard there were an abnormal amount of monster attacks up here, the same year that Shinra abandoned this place," Angeal said.

"Too many reactors functioning at once," Elfé sighed, "If the Corel reactor is completed, I guarantee you the monsters will increase over there as well."

They reached the door and left the warehouse. Almost immediately, Zack approached them. "Any luck?" he asked.

"Yes and no," Angeal answered, "It's damaged. That's what happens when you have that kind of equipment exposed to the cold for so many years. Elfé says she wants to bring in another person to help. What about you guys? Find anything?"

Zack nodded. "We actually found a few chests that still had gil tucked away. I'm kinda surprised by that. You'd think this place would've been raided years ago."

"I guess thieves would rather stay where it's warm," Kunsel quipped.

"Also," Zack continued, "We found a secondary power supply, probably from back when they were still building the mako reactor. If Avalanche has any skilled tradesmen, they could probably fix it up and rewire the whole place to run on good old-fashioned electricity."

"Were you in the reactor?" Angeal asked.

Zack nodded. "Yeah. They've still got barrels of mako loaded for processing. I took a look inside the containers. It's still fresh even after sitting there for so long."

"Just like Aerith said…" Kunsel mused.

"Let's go," Elfé said as she began walking toward the direction of the reactor.

"What are we doing?" Zack asked.

"Dumping the mako back into the bottom of the reactor," Elfé answered as the others began to follow her. "All of it."

"Huh?!" Zack exclaimed, "But there had to be at _least_ thirty barrels piled up!"

"Shinra continues to suck out the planet's lifeblood every day," Elfé reminded Zack, "The least we can do is return some of it, even if it's only a small amount in comparison to what it keeps losing."

Zack smiled resignedly. "I see your point."

"Go round up the others," Elfé ordered Zack, "The more of us there are to help, the quicker we'll be done."

"Yes, ma'am!" Zack jokingly saluted Elfé before running off.

* * *

The amount of data on Deepground's top five experiments had been utterly staggering, let alone the rest of the facility, its lower-scale experiments, and its history. Dr. Hollander sat in front of his computer, in his personal lab/office in Deepground. He had spent the past few hours only reading the files that were the most relevant to his plans. Reading everything would take weeks…no, months.

Some of the scientists there had been working for the top-secret organization for years. Yet, no one had been put in charge, nor had anyone volunteered unofficially for such a role. President Shinra had been overseeing most of it himself. While he'd had a liaison reporting to him for the past twenty-six years, the man had recently passed away from old age. A heart attack.

_Interesting_…Hollander had thought suspiciously…_wasn't that what had supposedly killed Professor Gast seventeen years ago? _

Now Dr. Hollander was the new Deepground liaison, and on top of that, had been given authority over the other scientists working there. Thankfully, it had been a smooth transition. The researchers had been no fans of Hojo's, and knew about the long-standing feud between him and Hollander. Most of them had worked under Hojo at some point or another. As far as Human Resources were concerned, they had all left Shinra. The president himself had picked them himself, however. Those that were the most like Hojo, yet clashed with him. Every time Hojo made complaints about his wayward employees, they were gone…seemingly fired, only to end up here.

The truth was so much more gratifying to Hollander. He knew that Hojo was on his way out. They were playing him so beautifully. It had to be that way. Had the man any idea of what was going on, Hojo could easily do some serious damage from within. Hollander even wondered if Hojo would end up having a "heart attack" of his own, in the end.

Still, he had a problem. With the new supply of Jenova cells he had received, he now had a possibility for curing Genesis' condition. However, Genesis had been out of contact for the past few days now. He had left several text messages on the young man's latest disposable phone, but there had been no answer. Typical. How was he supposed to help someone who was barely even co-operating? The president was already breathing down his neck, wanting some kind of results from the cells. If there was one thing Hollander and Hojo could agree on, it was that President Shinra was an ignorant moron when it came to science itself.

_Just "do something" with the cells and report back to him…_Hollander thought as he continued to read. _As if he thinks it's just that simple. _So many fools thought that science was just some kind of parlor trick, easily done with a combination of expensive technology and people with high IQ's.

Finally, he reached the end of the document and moved his chair back, massaging his temples. His eyes were getting tired. _Just one more_, he thought, _and then I'll take a break._ He closed the file, and moved on to the next…titled "PROTOMATERIA".

_Good…_he thought, _that ought to satisfy the kid…another materia nut. At least Fuhito's demands are easier to satisfy than Scarlet's…_

Rather than opening the file, he opened up a new email, attaching the file to it. Quickly, he sent it to Fuhito and began to look through the list of remaining files. Upon finding one titled "Rui, S.", he opened it up, and began to read.

* * *

"Typical…" Angeal grumbled as he glanced over the group.

Everybody had lined up in front of the warehouse with the supercomputer, preparing to collect all of the broken processors. Once they were done, they would make the journey back to the _Highwind_. Everybody was there, except for Genesis.

"Did anybody see where he went?" Elfé asked wearily.

"The residential area," Luxiere volunteered, "I told him the houses weren't even finished, much less bound to have any SWAG he could bring back."

"I'll go find him," Angeal offered. He then took off running toward the uncompleted housing development.

* * *

One of the houses on the lot had actually been finished. Angeal could see that it was much larger than the other homes, built some ways away from the other houses, right up against a shallow mountainside with no danger of rockslides. The architecture was much fancier than the modest-looking houses that were all lined up together. A rusty fence gate surrounded the small manor, its gate wide open. Angeal proceeded to walk through the front door, which was also ajar. To his surprise, there was some furniture inside. A coat rack stood against the wall, from which Genesis' overcoat hung.

"Gen?" Angeal called out, looking around, "You here?"

No answer. Angeal remained where he was, looking around the entryway. Suddenly, he heard a creaking sound from upstairs, as if somebody were walking around. Immediately, Angeal hurried over to the stairs.

"I know you're here, Genesis," he said loudly as he reached the top, "Come on, everyone's waiting for you. Did you find anything?"

Still no answer. Angeal looked around, noticing that all the doors were closed, except for the one at the end of the hallway. He headed over there and stepped inside what looked to be the master bedroom. It was fully furnished, with a king-sized bed in the corner, right next to the window. On it, sat Genesis, reading an old book.

"Making yourself right at home, huh?" Angeal said, trying to keep his tone lighthearted, despite his concern.

"I ought to," Genesis replied, not taking his eyes off of the book. "This was supposed to be my family's home away from home."

Angeal noticed a large painting on the wall. A young woman with reddish-blonde hair sat in a chair, wearing a flowing gold gown. Standing behind her was a young red-haired soldier, in full dress uniform.

"This was where my biological parents were planning to spend their honeymoon, and all future vacations," said Genesis, "It sounds strange, but I guess my father found Icicle Inn too crowded for his liking. This house originally used to be all there was. Modeoheim ended up being built around it after the mako deposits were discovered…long after my birth parents were dead. I learned that while I was still in Midgar."

Angeal nodded. "So that's why you were so set on coming here."

"It was meant to be a secret," Genesis went on, "You see, the press already passed them off as married…to avoid scandal. It's all right here…" He held up a book, bearing a name: Genesis Vlondett. "I was named after my real father. I'm a little surprised my other parents didn't change my name when they adopted me."

"Is that a journal?" Angeal asked.

Genesis nodded as he looked at the painting. "These were his quarters. He had been stationed here until he was called away when the Siege of Junon occurred. Had the siege never happened, he would have been the director of SOLDIER instead of Lazard. Marrying into the Shinra family has its perks."

"You look exactly like him," Angeal said as he walked over to the painting.

"Yeah," Genesis sighed, "It's so surreal. One of the first things the president did was show me my birth parents' photographs; very quickly, though. He wanted to get right down to business, of course."

"Of course," Angeal said, rolling his eyes.

"Do you know how he died?" Genesis asked.

Angeal shook his head. "I assume it was in battle?"

"The Siege of Junon," Genesis explained, "happened in May, twenty-five years ago. He led his unit in a tactical retreat, making sure everyone was able to get out of the building they were in, before he did. He was shot with a poison bullet, and died before the medic could get to him. My mother found out…and the shock made her go into labor three weeks early...before she could be prepped for it. That's why she died. It was all there in the Project G database. Hollander gave me access to it."

Angeal turned away, staring out of the window. "All of it…?" he asked uneasily.

"Don't worry," Genesis reassured him, "There's nothing horrible concerning you, and nothing you don't already know by now."

Angeal nodded. He then looked at his friend. "Are you all right?"

"No matter what, I would have had a privileged upbringing," Genesis chuckled, shaking his head somewhat sadly. "If my mother was anything like her brother, I'd be completely fine with how things turned out…her dying, that is. But according to my father…nothing could be further from the truth…that is, if his lovesick anecdotes are any indication of things."

"Genetics are full of surprises," said Angeal, "Sephiroth's uncle, for one."

Genesis nodded. Sephiroth and Aerith had told them about their meeting in Ingus, with both the brother of Professor Hojo, and the parents of Professor Gast.

"You know..." Genesis spoke, "When I was trying to call them…I was actually prepared to give them a piece of my mind. I just assumed they knew everything and didn't tell me. How ridiculous is that, though?"

"You were angry at the situation," Angeal reasoned, "It makes perfect sense. We always end up taking our anger out on something, or someone. Your parents…the ones that raised you…they were a convenient target."

"They just wanted a kid, I'm guessing," Genesis sighed, "Nothing more…nothing less. They got way more than they bargained for…"

"I doubt they had any regrets," Angeal told him, "And from the way the newspaper described the attack…I doubt they even saw it coming…much less suffered."

"Yeah…." Genesis whispered, looking out the window. "God…when I was flying through the air that day, I was so close to just…snapping…so close to just losing it completely." He closed his eyes, and he managed a sad smile. "But…knowing that people are trying to bring down those Shinra lapdogs, inside and out, and Aerith making it her mission to help me… The fact that there's a plan in motion…that's what keeps me grounded."

Angeal, not knowing what else to say, continued to stand near the door.

Finally, Genesis stood up, slipping the journal under his shirt and belt. "Shall we head back?" he suggested.

Angeal made a sweeping motion toward the door. "After you," he said.

* * *

The sun was just starting to set when the _Highwind_ finally landed outside of Ajit. After everybody had disembarked, Zangan and Tifa managed to throw together dinner for sixteen at the last minute. Once everyone finished eating, most of the group decided to retire early, worn out from such a busy day.

Not everybody was content to return to the dorms right away, however...

"I'm not going to answer that question…" Cissnei said, rolling her eyes, "It's in bad taste to ask a person how much money they make."

"Tseng implied once that us SOLDIERs get chicken-feed compared to the Turks," Zack said to her, "I just want to know if he's pulling my leg or not."

The two of them were sitting in the underground cathedral. Cissnei had wanted to stop in and look at the interior; particularly the stained glass windows.

"Tseng doesn't pull people's legs," she said, leaning back against the pew where she and Zack were seated.

"Well, what the hell?" Zack griped, "We work just as hard as you guys do! Why do you get to roll in the dough?"

"The ratio of Turks to SOLDIERs for one," Cissnei pointed out, "For every Turk, there's about twenty members of SOLDIER. That's basic supply and demand for you right there. Plus, we do what we do without the 'special surgery'. Last I checked, my eyes don't glow…"

Suddenly, a mischievous look came across Zack's face. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, grinning. He then cupped Cissnei's face in her hands and pretended to inspect her carefully.

"What do you think you're doing?" Cissnei asked, her body stiffening.

"Seeing if your eyes glow," Zack teased.

"Now you're just being ridiculous," Cissnei laughed nervously.

Zack leaned in closer. "I dunno…I see a spark…maybe that's the start of something…"

"Or maybe that's just the light of the-!"

Cissnei's words were immediately cut off as Zack closed the distance between the two of them, and gently pressed his lips against hers. After getting over the initial surprise, she then closed her eyes as she began to kiss him back.

_Oh…_Cissnei thought sheepishly as Zack chuckled against her mouth…_I get it now…_

* * *

_The flames were everywhere. Now that they had done their worst, the town was mostly silent. Only minutes ago, the agonized screams of the villagers rang through the town square like a macabre symphony, only to quickly fade into the night._

_Sephiroth looked up, unmoved by what was going on. His lips were curved slightly in a satisfied smirk. Despite the raging inferno around him, he turned around, walking through the fire as if it wasn't even there. He knew for decades that the flames had no effect on his body whatsoever._

_Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a black orb, holding it up in the moonlight as it rolled through his fingers._

Not here…_a voice whispered in his ear…_up north…do it there.

_"__Sephiroth!"_

_He turned around and saw Aerith standing nearby, clutching her staff in one hand. In her other hand, she held her mother's materia, which was now the color of the Lifestream and glowing brightly._

_Tears were now running down Aerith's face as she looked him in the eye. "Why…?!"_

Kill her…!

_"__Why, Sephiroth?!"_

KILL HER!

* * *

Sephiroth awoke with a gasp, feeling his heart pounding in his chest and tasting blood. He realized then, that he had bitten his lip so hard in his sleep that he had broken the skin. It didn't matter, though. His lip would heal in a matter of minutes.

No, his primary concern was much, much worse. He had begun to put the pieces together, and realized that he recognized the voice.

The voice that had told him twelve years ago to "take back the planet"…

The voice that whispered in his ear while he and Aerith had walked back to the inn in Nibelheim…

The voice that had laughed at him, Angeal and Genesis when they had all collapsed near the Shinra mansion…

The voice that had urged him to do the unthinkable in the nightmare he had just woken up from…

"…Jenova…" he whispered as he closed his eyes in anguish.

* * *

"I haven't seen him," Angeal said the next morning at breakfast. He looked at Genesis, who simply shrugged and shook his head.

Aerith frowned. "That's not like him to just take off like that. Nobody else has seen him either?"

"Oh- did you say you were looking for Sephiroth?" Elfé asked as she sat down with her tray of food, "Lenny said he saw him heading toward the forest. Either he's hanging out there or he's gone to Bone Village, which would have been nice if I'd known ahead of time. I could have asked him to restock on supplies."

"Well, if he's not back by the time we're done eating, I'm going to go look for him," Aerith declared, "Nobody should just take off like that."

Elfé nodded. "I agree. We won't get anywhere if we don't act as a unit. I'd have thought Sephiroth of all people would be on board with that. Oh, and if you're heading to Bone Village, could you pick up a couple potions and some Phoenix Down? I'd feel a lot better if we had more stocked."

"Oh- can you pick up some spicy jerky?" Luxiere asked as he pulled out a few gil notes.

Aerith reached into her bag and took out a pencil and one of her sketch pads, tearing a piece of paper out. She sighed and stared pointedly at Luxiere.

"We love you, Aerith..." the SOLDIER said, making puppy eyes at her.

Aerith laughed and patted him on the head. "All right, everyone," she said loudly, "I guess I'm heading into town once we're done here. Let me know what you guys need…!"

* * *

A marble fountain was the only ornamentation in Bone Village's square. It stood about a hundred feet from the schoolhouse, where dozens of children from five to fourteen filed inside, ready to begin their lessons.

Sephiroth sat on the edge of the fountain, watching as one last little boy sauntered up to the door, in no particular hurry. The child glanced around the area, as if wishing he could be anywhere but where he was. Briefly, his eyes met the swordsman's, and Sephiroth felt as though he could relate to the boy. He hardly ever wanted to be wherever it was that he was going to, back when he was that age. Sephiroth then noted the boy's longish brown hair, wondering if his own hair might have turned out that way if he and his mother had never been experimented on.

There was really no way of knowing.

He watched as the boy finally trudged inside, and then sighed as he glanced downwards, seeing his own reflection in the water. _This would be the face of a monster if that abomination __had her way…_he thought uneasily.

"Sephiroth…?"

He turned around and saw Gillian Hewley standing nearby, carrying a fresh loaf of bread from the grocery store.

"Mrs. Hewley…?" Sephiroth scowled at her, surprised. "What are you doing _here?_"

"Avalanche relocated me a while ago," Gillian explained, "They drove me and my husband to Costa Del Sol and put us on an express ship here."

"How is Mr. Hewley?" Sephiroth asked.

"Oh, he's just fine," Gillian chuckled, "He's already working as a supervisor for the first-shift excavators. It turns out one of his old co-workers moved here three years ago, so he instantly got a recommendation."

"We're staying in the City of the Ancients," Sephiroth told her, "I'm sure Angeal would love to see you both. I'll be sure to let him know you're here."

"How is Genesis?" Gillian asked, her tone serious now.

"We're still trying to figure out the clues that the city has to offer," Sephiroth admitted, "We've been here for nearly a week. Several of the others went to Modeoheim to use their supercomputer, but it turned out to be too badly damaged."

"You weren't with them?" Gillian asked.

"Aerith thought it best to stay in the city in case the planet decided to speak to her," Sephiroth explained, "Apparently, that place has the best reception, so to speak. I stayed with her to keep her safe."

"Well," Gillian said, "It seems rather silly of us to just stand around here talking. Why don't you come back to the place we're staying and I'll fix you something to eat?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I appreciate that."

* * *

Ten minutes later, he sat in a small kitchen, eagerly helping himself to some scones and a couple slices of ham. Rarely did he ever skip breakfast, and his currently insatiable appetite was the reason why. He realized with a heavy heart, that he would probably still be hungry after he was finished. Still, he didn't want to trouble Gillian for-

"Seconds?" she offered as she set down another plate of food.

Sephiroth swallowed his food with the help of some orange juice. "Yes, thank you," he said gratefully.

"Why do you seem so surprised?" Gillian chuckled, "I've known you for twelve years now. All three of you boys are bottomless pits."

"I hate to impose…" Sephiroth said apologetically.

Gillian chuckled again, this time looking thoughtful. "Sometimes…" she said, "You remind me of a boy I used to know…a very long time ago."

"I don't think I've heard this story before," Sephiroth said, looking interested.

"When I was a teenager," said Gillian, "there was a little boy who lived down the road that I used to baby-sit for. His mother had died when he was still a baby, and his father was always busy with his work at Mideel University. Oh, he was a sweet little boy, but so shy. It took a while before he opened up to me."

"And I remind you of him?" Sephiroth asked, slightly intrigued, "So then, whatever became of him?"

"Years later, when I was involved in Project G, I ran into him again. He had joined the Department of Administrative Research a few years before, and his father had recently died. I found out his father had gone to work for the Shinra some years back. He seemed distraught, but wouldn't tell me why. Sometime later, I ran into some old associates of his. They had been informed that the young Turk had disappeared. The rumor was that he had gotten involved with a Shinra scientist who was in a relationship with someone else."

Sephiroth blinked, taking everything in as best as he could. He had heard part of this story before from Jiro, and knew the scientist in question was his mother. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but hope that perhaps Hojo _wasn't_ his father? Of course, that would mean that Jiro wasn't his uncle, and the resemblance between the two of them was overwhelming. Also, Jiro had made a very good impression on Sephiroth, making him feel better about his heritage for the first time in twelve years.

He wasn't sure which idea he preferred now.

"Mrs. Hewley…" Sephiroth said reluctantly, "If you knew my mother…"

"Not that well, I'm afraid," said Gillian.

"Do you know the details of her suicide? You always did say you had an eidetic memory."

"I didn't learn a whole lot," Gillian confessed sadly, "I only met her once…shortly before it happened. She was a very pretty woman…even after everything she had been through."

"I only just saw a photograph a few days ago," Sephiroth sighed, "I searched her name on the Worldwide Network when I was younger. All I got was her official record. Date of birth, date of death." He looked at Gillian. "Please, continue. I need to know what happened."

"She had given birth to you only four days before she died," said Gillian, "When I met her, she looked so sad. When she introduced herself to me, I congratulated her on becoming a mother. I myself was still pregnant. But she shook her head and whispered that she never even got to hold you. I'll never forget how heartbroken she sounded."

Sephiroth closed his eyes as a pained expression crossed his face. "What else?" he asked tensely, "I need to know…anything that you can tell me."

"Seph, it's a very sad story. You have such a wonderful life going for you now-,"

"Please," Sephiroth insisted, "Do _not_ patronize me- I have to know."

Gillian pressed her fingertips against her forehead against them as she closed her eyes. "She'd had nightmares, she'd told me, where you were taken away from her, and that you would grow up to do horrible things. That you held a black orb, calling forth a terrible power…"

Sephiroth's eyes widened as he leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. The same vision he had the day he escaped his stifling life with the Shinra, had been shared by his mother, and so long ago at that? Hell, the same black orb had been in the nightmare he'd had the night before. What the hell was going on?

"Sephiroth!" Gillian leaned forward, alarmed at the young man's terrified expression. "Oh, maybe we should just drop this. I can't see how this would be of any good-!"

"-No…" Sephiroth insisted, his voice suddenly hoarse, "I want to understand! I _need_ to understand why she just _let_ Hojo do what he did! Angeal will never know…nor will Genesis. _You_ made the right decision…" He then closed his eyes, visibly pained. "Why the hell couldn't my mother do the same thing…?" he whispered.

The physical abuse, experiments bordering on torture, befriending and then losing Professor Gast, witnessing similar abuse happening to Aerith and Ifalna…

* * *

_"__Why do you always hug me after they do a number on me in the lab?" nine-year-old Sephiroth asked wearily as Ifalna held him from behind the couch in the rec room._

_ "__Maybe because of the same reason you like to hold Aerith in your lap?" Ifalna suggested._

_At the mention of her name, one-year-old Aerith looked up at her mother and smiled._

_ "__I know most people hurt you when they touch you," Ifalna said solemnly as she sat down next to him, "But physical contact from the people you care about…that can erase a lot of hurt."_

_ "__You're always holding Aerith," Sephiroth remarked, "Do you think my mother would have done the same thing if she hadn't died?"_

_ "__I'm sure she would have," said Ifalna, "Faremis told me she was a very likable woman, and very intelligent."_

_Sephiroth hung __his head. "Why did she have to die?"_

_Ifalna said nothing, but hugged the boy again. "You have me and Aerith…" she reassured him quietly._

* * *

"Sephiroth, the table!" Gillian shrieked.

The silver-haired swordsman snapped back to reality as he saw smoke coming from the tablecloth, right underneath his palms. Alarmed, he stood up, knocking his chair over as he grabbed the tablecloth, sending the empty plates and glasses to the floor where they shattered loudly. He quickly threw the burning fabric into the sink and turned on the water, dousing the imminent fire. He turned around and saw Gillian backing against the wall, the look of terror on her face obvious to anyone.

"I…" Sephiroth struggled to get the words out: "I'm so sorry…"

He then turned around and left the house, in a daze.

* * *

A/N:

Modeoheim's supercomputer, the Vlondett/Shinra vacation home, the Cosmo Canyon hospital, Bone Village's residential area, and the un-accessed part of The City Of the Ancients…all brought to you by "the other side of town" that nobody talks about in the original game, because it's not currently necessary, plot-wise. :P

Seriously, though: how bad would it be if Mideel really was the only place on Gaia that had a hospital? None of the other towns in FF7 had one(I can't remember where the Player Turk in Before Crisis recovers from their coma).


	33. Chapter 12: Miscommunication

Shout-Outs:

Entranced Reader: Thanks for reading and reviewing! At least you didn't have to wait so long for the cliffhanger to resolve. As for Lucrecia and all of your other questions...well, just keep reading. They'll all be answered eventually. ;)

faunalind: Sephiroth has to learn not to hide behind the temple. They can only help him so much. The rest is up to him.

BelieverofManyThings: Thanks!

JazzQueen: We'll see Jiro again eventually.

* * *

Chapter 12: Miscommunication

_Dear Family…_Aerith wrote as she sat on a bench inside Bone Village's post office…_enclosed are a few books from the city, in perfect condition. Now that I realize how much work I need on reading Cetran, I don't want the twins or Gabe to go through the same problem. There's children's books here, along with a book for Mom. I didn't forget about Daddy either. I found a really neat-looking dagger I thought would add to his collection. I also put in a lovely painting someone did, which like everything else in the city, is in perfect condition. Maybe one day I'll be as good as whoever this guy was. I hope you enjoy the gifts. Love, Aerith._

After finishing, she folded the note, inserting it in the cardboard box that held her aforementioned presents. Taking a roll of packing tape, she closed the box and sealed it. The address was already written down, and the box was already stamped. Satisfied, she went inside the small building and handed it to the clerk at the counter. Thanking him, she left the building and began walking toward the excavation area.

She had found the books in the library the night before. The dagger must have already been an antique, as the point and edges were all dull. That was even better, though, as her stepfather loved collecting antique weapons even more than ones he could actually use. It would likely be locked in his study along with the rest of his collection.

The painting had caught Aerith's eye instantly as she explored the apartment of what looked to be a young bachelor, and an artist to boot. There were paints, charcoals and pencils of all colors and sorts, along with several canvases. However, unlike her own room, which had similar supplies scattered all over her desk, dresser and shelves; everything was neatly put away. Aerith had found the situation amusing, joking to Tifa and Zangan(who had accompanied her) that no artist was ever so organized.

The painting was a bird's-eye-view of a field of flowers similar to the one in her dreams. In the tall grass, a boy and a girl lay together, likely listening to the planet. The girl was sprawled on her stomach, and her face was obscured, resting against the ground, indicating a very deep trance. It reminded Aerith of how Carlie would sometimes look while she was in a similar state. The boy's eyes were closed, and he lay on his back like Cassius always did during his moments with the planet. Their hands were joined together, and both wore extremely peaceful expressions on their respective faces. Immediately, Aerith had the idea to send the painting to her family, wanting to add to what was left of the Cetra civilization.

Now that she was done with both shopping and delivering her package, it was time to head back into the city, and into the arboretum to meditate. However, after a week of silence, the planet finally spoke:

_HELP HIM…_

Before Aerith could process what she had heard, the image of a bush bursting into flames appeared in her mind. It looked like one of the many shrubs that the Sleeping Forest had. Fighting a sense of panic, she grabbed her bags and took of running in the forest's direction.

* * *

She was less than a mile into the forest when she could start to smell the smoke. Alarmed, she looked around frantically until a familiar patch of silver caught her eye. Sephiroth sat in front of the smoldering remains of the bush that Aerith had seen, staring into the void. While he was normally pale, his face was now white.

Alarmed, she dropped her things and rushed over to him. "Seph?" Aerith knelt down next to him and took a good look at the stricken expression on Sephiroth's face. "Seph, what's wrong? Please, look at me!"

A soft breeze blew the lingering smoke into Aerith's face, and she began to cough, futilely fanning it away with her hands. She got up and sat behind him, away from the smoke which didn't seem to bother the swordsman at all.

Sephiroth continued to sit still, staring into space. He hesitated a moment before he spoke in a strained whisper: "…It's been…a _very_ rough morning…"

"You're shaking…" Aerith observed worriedly as she touched his shoulder.

"I spoke with Mrs. Hewley…" Sephiroth mumbled, "They sent her and Mr. Hewley to Bone Village…I guess we missed them before."

"Sephiroth, what _happened?!_" Aerith implored, "I can't help you unless you tell me what's wrong!"

Sephiroth closed his eyes. "I suppose it finally all hit me. My mother…what the Shinra did to her…and what she did to get away from them…"

Aerith looked at him. "Oh, Seph…" she said mournfully. She attempted to take his hand, but he quickly moved it away.

"I don't get it…" Sephiroth laughed shakily, "I've known for the past three weeks that my mother killed herself…but now…why do I _feel _like this?" He shut his eyes, shaking his head. "Why do I feel so…helpless?"

Before he could react, however, he felt Aerith's arms slide around his shoulders, and her bosom pressing against his back. He could smell the soap she had washed up with that morning as he felt her cheek pressed against his.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered as she leaned against him, kneeling in the grass. "I'm sorry she felt she had to leave you in such a horrible way. I'm sorry that life was too much for her to bear. But just as you promised to keep me safe…I promise _I'll_ never leave you. I'm here, Seph…I'm right here…"

He felt her hugging him closely, while he sat motionless, his eyes shut tightly as he attempted in vain to reign in his thoughts. He knew meditation was out of the question, that his psyche was too deeply ensnared in the darkness that was currently eating him alive.

Aerith's head leaned in next to Sephiroth's, hoping the contact could heal him somewhat. She had known that an emotional breakdown was the reason why he had left Cosmo Canyon all those years ago, and sought healing in the temple. She had never actually seen him in this state before, however, and all she wanted to do right now was to make the pain stop. She knew, however, that this was all that she could do for him right now. Aerith then lifted her hand up reflexively when she felt a small drop of something wet on the back of it.

"Shit…!" Sephiroth growled angrily as he wiped his eyes.

"It's okay, Seph…!" she whispered as she hugged him tighter, "It's okay…it's okay…"

She sat there for the next few minutes, softly repeating the phrase, like a mantra. Sephiroth's stiff posture eventually loosened and he leaned against her, suddenly feeling exhausted. The force of his weight tipped the both of them onto their backs, but they both remained where they were. Aerith lifted her hand, tentatively stroking Sephiroth's hair. They lay together in the moss, Aerith watching Sephiroth as he stared up at the sky.

Finally, Sephiroth spoke, almost inaudibly: "Thank you."

"I love you, Seph," Aerith blurted out.

Something about her voice and the way she said it, made Sephiroth turn and stare at her. Then, without thinking, he immediately grabbed her shoulders, pulling her closer as he pressed his lips against hers.

Aerith's eyes widened only briefly, before they slowly closed as she melted against him. _Holy planet_, she thought, _this is.._. Her hands rose up, sliding up onto his shoulders, while his hands gently cupped her face. She let out a soft, contented sigh, which only enticed Sephiroth further. His lips slowly made their way down to her chin. Aerith immediately tilted her head back, allowing him better access to her neck, which he immediately claimed. All she could think about was how right this all felt.

She could feel her heart pounding and entire body heating up. It all made sense now…the songs people on the radio sang about "the heat of love" or something along those lines... Until this summer, Aerith had watched her friends get swept up in their teenage romances, while remaining disconnected from it herself…until now. The butterflies in her stomach, her urge to be close to him…to touch him…it was nothing short of all-consuming. Now the butterflies had transformed into something else entirely; a tightness she had never experienced before. It begged a release, which she had a vague idea of what it entailed, but still could not bring herself to name.

Sephiroth climbed over her, grabbing one of her hands and interlacing his fingers with hers. "I want you…" he whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

_He what?!_ Aerith's eyes widened in shock as she let out a startled gasp. "Wait, Seph…!" she said before his lips found hers again. As she clumsily kissed him back, her free hand reached up and caressed his face before she ran her fingers through his silky hair.

She closed her eyes, only for them to shoot open again as she heard the sound of a zipper. She then saw him fiddling with his pants. Alarm bells instantly went off in her head as she broke the kiss and began to struggle against him. "Seph, no!" she begged.

Sephiroth froze suddenly, as if finally realizing what he was doing. A look of horror appeared on his face.

"Oh god…" he said quietly, moving back and letting go of Aerith.

"Seph…?" Aerith regarded him, now completely confused.

"I…I can't do this…" he said hoarsely, "We shouldn't be doing this...!"

"It's okay," Aerith reassured him, "I think we were just moving a little too fast-!"

"-This was a mistake," Sephiroth butted in as he stood up and zipped his pants. He then looked around, clearly agitated.

"No, Seph- we should talk about this!" Aerith pleaded as she stood up.

"Trust me, you're better off if we forget this," Sephiroth argued. He then turned around and stalked off.

"I don't _want_ to forget! Seph, please come back!" Aerith called after him, but to no avail. She briefly considered running after him, but she knew there was no point. When his demeanor changed to _that_ expression, she knew that trying to talk to him was like talking to a brick wall. She had only seen it a few times, but knew with a sinking certainty that this was one of them.

Tears stung her eyes as she sank to her knees. She brought one hand to her face while her other hand slammed against the ground in frustration.

"Dammit…why…!?" she managed to ask before the tears then started to fall.

* * *

Fuhito had made up his mind.

If he was to successfully conduct his own research on Omega Weapon, he would need to infiltrate Deepground more than he had thus far, knowing that it contained everything concerning Grimoire Valentine's research. But if he were to do that, he needed to be rid of Hojo. There was no question about it. As much as he respected the man's scientific brilliance, there was no place for him in his plans right now. It was finally time.

He approached Hojo's office and took a deep breath. Finally, he knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Hojo barked.

"Fuhito, sir," the head intern replied.

"Oh…" Hojo's tone changed, becoming slightly pleasant. "Come in, my boy."

Fuhito opened the door and stepped inside, seeing Hojo seated at his desk. Thanks to Fuhito's recent efforts, it was much more organized than it had been in the past.

"Sit down," Hojo offered, gesturing at the chair in front of his desk. "What can I do for you?"

"Professor…" Fuhito began. He then cleared his throat. "Last night, I was organizing your files on the two Ancients that escaped years ago. You told me about them, but until last night, I'd never learned their names or seen their pictures." He took a deep breath, feigning nervousness before continuing: "Professor…I've met that woman and her daughter…probably not long after they escaped."

Hojo's beady eyes shot wide open. "…You're sure about this? Where? Their trail literally went cold once they were out of Midgar."

"Cosmo Canyon," Fuhito answered, "And considering she had a permanent job at their hospital, she might have gotten rather cozy there..."

"What about Sephiroth?" Hojo immediately asked, not taking his eyes off the young man.

"He stayed with them for roughly a month, before going his own way," Fuhito told him. "I know the child took it hard. I would see the girl at the hospital every day, and she was depressed for a little while."

"Yes, that brat became very attached to Sephiroth," Hojo muttered, his voice full of disapproval. "I couldn't help it. The president spoiled Sephiroth as he got older, and the boy insisted that he be allowed to spend time with the two Ancients. It was the biggest mistake that man ever made to go along with the boy's wishes. Because of it, they conspired to escape, for who knows how long? Well, anyway- did Sephiroth say where he had planned to go?"

Fuhito shook his head, wanting to hold onto the "Sephiroth card" for a later time if necessary. Considering how close that temple was to Banora, he wondered if Sephiroth had ever crossed paths with the boys from Project G.

"Sephiroth only said he wanted to see the world. I left shortly after he did, so I can't say for certain where he or the Ancients are now. But I know they were in Cosmo Canyon twelve years ago, at least."

"Call both Heidegger and Veld," Hojo ordered him, "Tell them the situation. Meanwhile, I'll personally contact the president."

"Yes, Professor." Fuhito moved to get up.

"Fuhito…" Hojo's expression was intense. "If we succeed in retrieving the Ancients…you may as well consider yourself to be my number two. I'll have my hands full for quite a while, and I'll need you to run everything else in my absence. You've already been a magnificent help so far."

"The pleasure's all mine, sir," Fuhito said, bowing his head with obsequious respect.

* * *

"Morning, sunshine!" Elfé said the next morning as she poked the side of Aerith's head.

Aerith's eyes popped open, startled. She looked around the room, briefly wondering if yesterday had all been a bad dream. However, she ultimately knew that it hadn't, making her body suddenly feel twice as heavy. It took a few seconds for her to manage to push herself into a sitting position.

"You got in rather late." Elfé tilted her head to the side, regarding Aerith with friendly concern. "You were gone since before lunch. I appreciate you coming in and leaving a note about going to the arboretum, but still…we really need to stick together. Both you and Sephiroth coming and going without telling anyone…are you even paying attention?"

Aerith kicked back her covers and stood up with a grunt. As she picked up a hairbrush and stood in front of the mirror, Elfé stepped behind her, noticing the younger girl's reflection.

"Going for the raccoon look again, today?" Elfé quipped, noting that Aerith had the same dark circles under her eyes as she did in Nibelheim.

Aerith groaned and covered her eyes with one hand.

Elfé glanced at her younger friend, looking concerned. "Are your ancestors keeping you up?"

Aerith shook her head.

"Dreams?"

"No," Aerith replied dully as she gathered her hair up, preparing to braid it as she always did.

Elfé's eyes widened as she saw the purple mark on the side of Aerith's neck. She then marched right over to Aerith. "What the hell is that?" she asked sharply.

"What's what?" the younger woman asked, suddenly defensive.

"That mark right here," Elfé said as she poked Aerith's neck with her finger.

"…Maybe I slept on my PHS again," Aerith covered as she backed away, "I did the same thing two nights ago, and-,"

Elfé was completely unconvinced. "Your _neck_ Aerith!" she emphasized, "I wasn't born yesterday. What's going on? How the hell did this get past both me _and_ Sephiroth?"

At the mention of Sephiroth's name, Aerith immediately looked away, before bursting into tears.

Elfé immediately understood. "Oh…hell no…" she whispered in disbelief.

* * *

He sat in the cathedral, staring into empty space. He had slept on the pews last night, having avoided being seen by anyone when he returned to Ajit.

Right now, he didn't give a damn if the others were angry at him for disappearing for an entire day. Sephiroth was angry enough at himself, knowing he had failed Aerith completely. He had promised to protect her. Yes, she was alive, which was what Aerith had meant when she had accepted his offer to be her bodyguard during their journey. But, he had hurt her. He had frightened her, and thank the gods, he had snapped out of it before he could make her do something she hadn't wanted to do. What was worse was that he didn't even have the excuse of Jenova's voice whispering in his ear, like he did the time he had slapped Ifalna all those years ago.

One small part of his mind kept nagging him, however. Aerith hadn't protested when he had first kissed her. It was only when he'd had her pinned under him and was attempting to give himself "room to breathe", so to speak, that she had become frightened.

_I love you, Seph…_

Sephiroth shook his head, trying to get those words out of his head. She was still young…still naïve. He had been weak. Shame on him. One day she would understand.

However, it was not Aerith's feelings he would have to deal with right now. He looked up as he heard the large door swinging open, the sound echoing throughout the building. Elfé stormed over to him, gripping her practice bokken and looking ready to strike.

Oh hell. Elfé knew…and she was pissed.

He had thought of Aerith's family as her blood relatives, and the stepfather who had adopted her. He had, in his self-pity, briefly forgotten about the surrogate big sister that Elfé had become over the years.

"You bastard!" Elfé exclaimed as she swung her wooden sword at Sephiroth, who quickly ducked. "How dare you play around with her feelings like that?!"

"I only would have hurt her more had I allowed it to go on," Sephiroth calmly stated as he stood up and moved away from her.

"Ah, and he's already come up with a stupid excuse!" Elfé remarked sarcastically. She ran through the pews, catching up to him before swinging again.

Given that the weapon was made of wood, Sephiroth simply clapped his hands against the "blade" and twisted it out of her hands. "Hysterics don't become you, El," he informed her as he tossed the bokken away.

"Go to hell!" Elfé snapped as she tried to retrieve her sword. However, Sephiroth blocked her path, and continued to do so at every step. "You have a lot of nerve! She _already_ has feelings for you, but now you had to give her hope and then crush it the next second! What kind of sick creep are you?"

"I imagine Aerith must be very upset if you're so riled up," Sephiroth said, hoping to talk her down from her protective rage. He held up his hands, indicating that he did not want to fight.

Elfé growled and stepped back, knowing that this was not a fair match. Sword or no sword, he was not going to fight back. And, if he did, all he needed to do was grab her wrist, and he would simply be able to snap it with the simple movement of his fingers.

"Why?" she asked coldly. "You had a…'moment', and then you just left. And to be honest, I think she just sat in shock the whole time after you left."

"Did she tell you she had?"

"No, but nobody saw her for the rest of the day. She left a note making up some story about being in the arboretum, but…" Her tone indicated that she knew better.

"Shit…" Sephiroth grumbled, looking ashamed. "Look…she's far too young to be getting involved with a man like me. I've far too much baggage, and she does not deserve to put up with any of it."

Elfé rolled her eyes. "Aerith does what she wants, Sephiroth. Maybe you don't notice that because you don't see her as often as I do. But I walked with her to school and back every day until I graduated. I've trained with her. I know her enough to know that your reasoning is not going to satisfy her, especially if I'm not buying it either. We've all got 'baggage', Sephiroth. That's why we're supposed to work through it, because the world keeps spinning around, regardless.

"And for the record, I'm not happy to be playing mediator. I normally wouldn't have done it in the first place, but I really hate to see that poor girl cry like that."

Sephiroth cringed. Not since he had announced twelve years ago that he was leaving Cosmo Canyon, had he ever made Aerith cry.

"She deserves better from you," Elfé went on, "I don't know. Maybe Angeal will be able to talk some sense into you."

Sephiroth balked. "You _told_ him?"

Elfé rolled her eyes. "No, I didn't tell him, but are you telling me that you'll be keeping this from your best friend?"

"-!" Sephiroth clenched his fists and looked down at the ground. No, there was no point. Angeal would sense that something was wrong. He wouldn't pester Sephiroth outright. He would simply keep glancing at him with that "You can confide in me, my dear friend!" look on his face. And Sephiroth would inevitably crack. It was the same look he had given Sephiroth the night years ago, he had told Angeal and Genesis about his painful past, albeit with his eyes swollen shut.

And then Genesis…Sephiroth did not even want to think about how Genesis would twist "Loveless" to fit this situation.

"Well…" Sephiroth said sarcastically, "You've managed to inform me what I've done _wrong_. What, pray tell, should I do to rectify this?"

"Are you really that dense?" Elfé said to him. "First off…you apologize. But do it tomorrow, because I was actually able to convince her to catch up on her sleep. That'll give you enough time to straighten out your own head."

"Straighten out my head in one day?" Sephiroth remarked bitterly, "Lovely. I've only been trying to do that for the past twelve years, Elfé."

"Do you love her?" Elfé asked bluntly.

Sephiroth sighed and looked away. "…You really have to ask?" he asked sadly.

Elfé stared pointedly at him. "Then what the hell are you afraid of?"

_Myself…_Sephiroth thought bitterly. He then turned around and left the cathedral.

* * *

"Well, what do you suggest we do?" Angeal asked later that evening as the group sat in the meeting room, sans Aerith. "This is the safest place to be for the time being."

"If the planet said it would guide Aerith, then it _will_," Elfé added, "There's no sense in going anywhere else."

"I think we should head back to Ingus," Cid argued, "That guy Jiro had a ton of junk on him, and it's possible that we could find a few parts that might help fix that supercomputer."

"I agree with Cid," said Cissnei, "We could head out first thing tomorrow."

"What we don't find in Ingus, we'll definitely find back in Rocket Town," Shera added, "I know we could get word to people there, and find out if the Turks have left already."

"What about Midgar?" Zack asked.

"Cid will be taking me to retrieve our guest tomorrow morning," Elfé answered, "Angeal and Kunsel will be coming with me."

"It'll be nice to drop by the old stomping ground," Kunsel said with a smile.

The door opened and Aerith entered, looking weary.

"Anything?" Tifa asked worriedly.

Aerith shook her head. "I'm sorry…" she said, "I know you're all waiting for me…and I'm waiting too, but nothing's happening and I can't figure out what the problem is. I hate that I'm wasting everybody's time."

Sephiroth grimaced, seeing how tired and frustrated Aerith appeared to be. Even worse, she deliberately avoided looking at him.

_What the hell did you expect?_

He sat in the corner, his mind drifting off as Elfé and the others informed Aerith of their plans. He wasn't sure how long he had been out of it before he heard somebody addressing him.

"What do you think, Sephiroth?" Angeal asked.

Sephiroth let out a sigh. "…Sorry?"

Angeal flashed him a "What's with you lately?" look before speaking: "Didn't you hear Aerith just now? Earlier today, she discovered a few non-materia spells that can place a ward on a building. She suggested that we use them on the warehouse in Modeoheim, just to be safe."

Sephiroth looked at Aerith, who still wouldn't return his gaze. "It makes sense to me."

"I can summon a few of my contacts up here to help start up the backup power supply," Elfé added.

"But…" Tifa spoke up, looking worried. "If Ajit and Modeoheim become the new home of Avalanche, what happens to the people of both Bone Village and Icicle Inn? You guys keep making these vague plans of stepping up the war with the Shinra. What happens if they attack on this soil, and innocent people from those towns get caught up in the crossfire?"

"She's right," Zangan added, "Their navy might also decide to use Ingus as a stopover point. I'd hate to see that lovely place overrun by Shinra's army."

Sephiroth nodded, knowing they were both right. And of course, they could relate, given that they _had_ been innocent bystanders swept up into this mess. Lenny, Brick and even Shera to some extent were in the same predicament.

"The underground city is huge," Aerith suggested, "Now that the alliance with Wutai is set in stone, they could lend us some troops to defend those places. I know Icicle Inn has no alliance with Shinra. Unfortunately, they had no protection at all." Aerith looked up and glanced at everybody in the room, including Sephiroth. "We _can't_ let that happen ever again."

"There's more reason than Avalanche for the Shinra to travel north," Freyra said. She glanced at Cissnei, who nodded in approval. "Rumors say that what the Ancients called 'The Promised Land' lies far up north…in the crater where twenty-six years ago, Professor Hojo and Professor Gast went on an expedition with several other Shinra personnel. Professor Gast's notes are the only real hint toward that being true, but it's always been on the backburner. With the war over, you never know what Hojo might try. He could easily send his new pet flunky out there to check it out."

"Hojo has a 'number-two' now?" Sephiroth snorted, "Some shining example of humanity, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he's a slick bastard," Freyra agreed, "I forget his name…Fuhrman…Fujiwara…Futanari…"

The three SOLDIERs, who had been stationed in Wutai long enough to pick up some of the language, burst into hysterical laughter at the last word. Even Sephiroth, who was also fluent in Wutain, managed a small smirk.

"What's the joke?" Freyra asked, not comprehending.

"Just old memories of the Wutai front…!" Zack giggled, "The funny memories, anyway…"

"Hey, Sephiroth- were you ever in Wutai?" Luxiere asked as he tried to calm himself.

Sephiroth shook his head. "Had I stayed with the Shinra for just one year longer, I'm sure I would have been."

"Right," Luxiere recalled, "The SOLDIER prototype."

"I technically was only in service for a few months before I left the Shinra," Sephiroth explained, "All I did was guard duty in the Shinra building, and two months of security detail when the Gongaga reactor was being worked on."

"So you found your hero," Luxiere teased Zack.

"And you joined SOLDIER because you wanted to be a hero like me?" Sephiroth said skeptically to the former 1st Class SOLDIER. "Are you sure part of that thing didn't hit you on the head all those years ago?"

Zack shook his head, looking uncharacteristically grim. "I thought that there would be other people like you," he said, "I'd hoped you'd still be there and I'd be able to meet you, and say, 'See what I did with the second chance you gave me?'."

Angeal chuckled sadly.

"And you didn't meet _any_ heroes?" Aerith asked sympathetically.

Zack hung his head. "No," he admitted, "It's just a paycheck for 99% of the people there, and the 1% that see it as something more get laughed at by everyone else."

Genesis regarded Zack sympathetically, and then spoke: "' There are no dreams…no honor remains…'"

Sephiroth groaned softly. "Loveless" again…

"Yeah…" Zack said with a nod, "That's exactly how it feels."

Kunsel, who had been listening silently, finally spoke up:

"I knew one of your commanding officers, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth looked at Kunsel, surprised. "I only had one commanding officer during my short time actually serving." He then began to look nervous. "Tell me the name of this individual."

"Wolff Gainsborough, former 1st Class of the old Midgar army," Kunsel answered.

Sephiroth swallowed uneasily, looking at the ground. "And…how is he?"

"Happy," Kunsel said, "He's got some memory issues, so he doesn't remember most of his service, but he and his wife have two boys who both want to grow up to be like their father…if their mother ever allows that to happen. She's not too keen on the idea of them joining SOLDIER, even though she likes me, and married Wolff while he was still in the army."

"A very smart woman," Sephiroth remarked, looking relieved, "Shinra is like a virus, infecting its people and those close to them. Memory issues? I'd say that was likely done to him on purpose while he was in the hospital after he lost his foot…probably to keep him quiet."

"You know about his foot?" Kunsel asked.

"Yes…" Sephiroth admitted. "…because I was the one who maimed him."

"What?! Why?!" Kunsel cried out, horrified.

"It was the only way we'd be able to convince the higher-ups at Shinra that he tried to keep me from escaping," Sephiroth told him. "You see, he was my bodyguard for five years…and role-model. If he simply let me go, they would have found out, and he might have been executed for treason."

"So you really were just a prisoner in the end," Zack sighed, shaking his head sadly. The mysterious "hero" from his childhood was really nothing more than a slave.

"Every decision in my life was made for me from before I was even born," Sephiroth explained, "until I decided I wanted out. Of course, Shinra spent millions on grooming me to be the most powerful soldier in existence. They weren't going to just let me walk away."

"I was a prisoner too," Aerith chimed in. "My mother and I were held in the Shinra building, for the first five years of my life. I never got to go outside, or even see the sun from my window, since it faced away from the sun's path."

"But why?" Zack wanted to know.

"The Shinra love people that are special," Aerith said sadly. "But they apparently 'love' them so much that they refuse to grant them basic human rights. Oh sure, they'll give us fancy living quarters, and a hundred channels on a big-screen TV for us to watch, but the abuse they'd put us through during the day was…" she trailed off and turned away.

"What did they do?" Zack asked hesitantly.

"Countless medical experiments," Sephiroth answered, "For me, it was to ensure that I was strong. For Aerith and her mother, it was to see exactly what they were capable of doing…and enduring."

"For me, it wasn't that bad," Aerith said, "Mostly, they did a lot of tests to see if I was actually psychic, or an empath, or whatever. 'What's on the flash card, Aerith?' 'I don't know- you have it turned over.'"

She sighed at the memory. "They also let me and my mother have our own little indoor garden, since they knew growing things was part of our abilities. That was nice, at least."

"But they killed your real father," Elfé reminded her.

Aerith nodded hastily. "I know," she acknowledged, "And it was my mother that they constantly tortured…just to see how much she could take. Hojo did manage to hurt me once…but the president saw and put a stop to it…maybe because he had a kid of his own who was only a couple years older than me."

"Rufus is proof that the president is a horrible example of a father," Freyra said, shaking her head in disgust, "I doubt he stopped the experiment out of empathy for his own son. He and Hojo have always been at odds. It's all a power struggle."

"How did Hojo hurt you?" Luxiere asked Aerith, not thinking.

"You don't have to answer that," Sephiroth said sharply, once he saw the distant look on Aerith's face. He knew which incident she was referring to.

"No, it's okay…" Aerith said shakily as she grabbed the side of her shirt. She turned around to face Luxiere and lifted up the garment with one hand, revealing a large scar on the upper left side of her abdomen, right below her ribs. The skin was dark, slightly wrinkled, and in the shape of a curved triangle. She winced at the sight. "…It's from a clothing iron."

"Oh, my god…" Kunsel whispered, horrified. Tifa's hands flew to her mouth and she shook her head despairingly. Elfé glanced down at her hand, running her finger over her own scar.

"Normally, my mother would have healed it in a snap," Aerith said as she pulled her shirt back down. She turned back around, facing away from everyone else. "But Hojo deliberately separated us for a week. My mom later told me that he had wanted to see how fast we could heal without our powers. Well…we can't. At the end, however, the president dropped in while Hojo was examining me, saw the burn, which was festering at that point, and ordered the experiment stopped. They gave me back to my mother, who did what she could, but of course, if you don't heal a wound right away, it leaves a scar. The Cetra are no exception. I had a fever and I can remember not being able to sleep because of the pain. He didn't even put any bandages or ointment on it."

Elfé grimaced. This explained why Aerith always came to ANSMA already wearing her rash guard, rather using the changing room like most of the other kids did. "Why didn't you heal yourself?" she wanted to know, "Did you not know how to do that yet?"

"Hojo said if I did…" Aerith seemed to almost retreat inside of herself before continuing: "…then he'd never let me see my mother again." She felt tears falling from her face, and wiped them away. "You know…I didn't think about this for such a long time, even though the scar is there…it doesn't hurt at all…I guess all the pain is here now…" She pointed at her heart. "I just didn't realize that until I finally talked about it…"

Tifa went over to Aerith and hugged her, as tears threatened to spill from her own eyes.

"I'm so sorry…" Luxiere said, ashamed of having asked Aerith about something so painful.

Sephiroth watched the two girls embracing, recalling his own memories of the event. He had seen Aerith when she finally came out of the labs after worrying about her for the week. She had come out of the labs delirious and burning up. The last thing he remembered was hearing Aerith wailing that she'd had an "accident". Apparently the pain had been bad enough to cause the child to wet herself.

When he came to after that, he had found himself in isolation, and somebody had explained to him via intercom that he had physically attacked Hojo, causing permanent damage to the man's back and hips. From then on, the professor would shuffle when he walked…a reminder of his experiment turning against him. After that, the physical abuse finally stopped for Sephiroth.

In fact, _nobody _ever laid a hand on him again. The price of isolation had been well worth it.

"I'm okay…" Aerith said, forcing a smile as she stepped back and wiped her eyes. "Thanks, guys…heh…this is a little embarrassing..."

"You don't need to be embarrassed by having people that care about you," Angeal said firmly. He then looked around at everyone. "It's late. We should head back to the dorms."

"I'm sorry, everyone," Aerith said, unable to look at anybody. "You're all waiting for me to dictate the next move, and I have no idea what to do. The planet isn't saying anything and you're all stuck here on my account."

Everybody began to speak at once, trying to reassure the girl.

"I'm feeling a lot better now, thanks to the medicine you found," Genesis said as he laid a comforting hand on Aerith's shoulder. "I know you'll find out what you need to."

"Lenny, Brick and I are all going hunting tomorrow," Freyra happily announced, "Do you know how long it's been since I've had the time to do that? I feel like I'm on holiday, honestly. Why are you apologizing for that?"

"Yeah, Shera an' I are talking about how to get that rocket into space, Shinra or no Shinra," Cid added, "Plus, I've had time to start designing a new airship. Take your time, kid. It's no skin off my ass."

Another smile appeared on Aerith's face, only this time it appeared genuine. "Thanks, you guys," she said gratefully.

Everybody stood up and began walking out.

"Hang in there," Zack said to Aerith. He then flashed her a grin before leaving with Cissnei.

"Let's get some sparring in tomorrow," Tifa suggested on her way out.

"Maybe I'll give Terrato a call tomorrow," Zangan mused.

Soon Aerith and Sephiroth were left alone in the room. Neither of them spoke for a moment. Finally, Aerith broke the silence:

"I'm glad you're back with us," she said, "I...was worried about you."

"I've managed to pull myself together," Sephiroth said, not looking at Aerith. "What about you? You've...been through a lot."

"I'll be all right," she said as she stood up and began making her way to the door.

"Aerith…" Sephiroth began.

"I'm really tired," Aerith cut in wearily, "I think I'm going to go straight to bed."

"All right," Sephiroth sighed.

"I'll…see you tomorrow," Aerith yawned, "Hopefully this waiting game ends soon…"

As Sephiroth watched her walk toward the shell building, he couldn't help but think of the double-meaning in her words…whether she had meant that or not.

* * *

A/N:

The clothing iron incident is also told from Ifalna's POV in my companion piece "Loose Ends", which takes place shortly before Ifalna's wedding.


	34. Chapter 13: Boiling Point

Shout-outs:

Green Priestess: I'm guessing you understood that "Wutain" word as well? ;)

Ardwynna: Worry not. Today, the readers get their payoff.

Faunalind: Count on Sephiroth and Aerith to put the cart before the chocobo as far as Sephiroth asking permission to court her. Aerith was never that easy on her adoptive mother in cannon…she's not going to be any easier on her adoptive _father_ in this altered timeline, or even her biological mother. :P

Of course, if the question of marriage were to be raised, Seph would definitely do the honorable thing and ask the entire family for permission.

Catxangel: Glad to see you again! Enjoy…!

JazzQueen: Definitely. This is what happens when you bury your grief for the sake of the mission. Eventually, it's all going to come out at the worst possible time, like Tifa warned Aerith earlier.

Sakurablossomhime: And it shall be done!

BelieverofManyThings: Glad you like it. I was working on it on the side for months while I did the other chapters. It took a while to get it to my liking and not make it too cheesy.

* * *

Chapter 13: Boiling Point

Sephiroth lay stretched out on the ground before the shore of the lake, relaxing under the stars. While keeping one ear attuned to his surroundings, he tried to focus on the nothingness that was needed to successfully clear his mind. He had been trying for the past ten minutes now. Perhaps the problem was his level of wariness. Even after spending a week in this peaceful, albeit empty paradise, Sephiroth still worried about a sudden attack. The barrier was fixed now, but he still envisioned Shinra troopers charging in, all clutching Lunar Harps before they grabbed Aerith and killed the two Turks and three SOLDIERs for their treachery. Maybe they would even be able to snatch Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth, thanks to some trick Hojo whipped up, which would exploit any weaknesses that the three Jenova Project subjects might have.

Now he was just being paranoid, he realized. Sephiroth sat up and glanced around, listening to the crickets and other insects that now provided the night's symphony. He gazed up at the full moon, which reflected brightly on the still water, thinking briefly about Aerith's swimming lessons(they had had one more while the others had gone to Nibelheim) before quickly refocusing his thoughts. Now he stared at the still waters before him, and he wondered if this small lake had once been a swimming hole for children centuries ago, back when this had been a thriving metropolis.

Everyone was asleep by now, and Sephiroth welcomed the peace, which allowed him the chance to meditate; something that he had not been able to do for weeks, considering that he was traveling with fifteen other people. He had been reflecting on the journey for the past twenty minutes, mulling over everything that had happened along the way. In the span of only a few weeks, he had found out the truth about his mother, acquired eleven new travel companions, had an unnerving semi-encounter with Jenova in Nibelheim, met an uncle he had never known about; and now, he had put his seventeen-year bond with Aerith in jeopardy.

_Aerith…_

Sephiroth couldn't help but worry about her. Between her concern over the planet suddenly going silent the day after they arrived in Ajit, and her painful confession to the others only hours ago, his heart ached for the girl. Aerith, who had grown up looking to him for protection, advice and friendship...

No, who was he kidding? He knew she wanted more than his friendship, after the disastrous events in the Sleeping Forest. After all, she _had_ told him she loved him, and kissed him back. Or was she simply at the age where a young person's desires were strong? Was he merely a convenient outlet when she had done that? Did he even have any business hoping for something after hurting her feelings like he had? He had been so uncomfortable with how young she was, but could he even stand to wait? So that someone else could woo her in his place?

_Like that 1__st__ Class SOLDIER who grins at every pretty woman who passes him by?_ He grimaced at the thought. Surely Aerith wouldn't fall for a man with a roving eye…

Sephiroth knew that the clock was ticking. Sooner or later, he would have to decide whether or not he wanted to actively pursue these feelings. The door had been opened now. At the very least now, he knew the feel of her lips, and what it was like to hold her body close to him.

It was all he could think about for the past day-and-a-half.

Then there was the matter of his mother, which had indirectly driven him into Aerith's arms. He had been shocked to discover in Cosmo Canyon that Lucrecia's death had been a suicide, only to quickly bury those feelings for the sake of the mission. Gillian expanding the story had made it impossible to ignore, however.

"Mother…" he whispered, looking down at the ground, "What did Hojo do to you that made life _that_ unbearable…?"

He then shook his head, trying to clear his mind once more, and finally engage in his nightly meditation. However, Aerith soon began invading his thoughts as usual, making it useless to try and concentrate. So long as she was on his mind, he could never focus on the empty mental void needed to achieve his meditative state. After several more minutes of trying, he pulled out his phone, glancing at the clock. It was after midnight. He knew he wasn't getting anywhere tonight. Meditation was supposed to help him relax- not get him all keyed up. He got to his feet and headed out of the grove and toward the empty coral buildings. Maybe a walk would help instead.

As he sauntered down the winding road that led to the main square, he looked around, noticing a light coming from a small building off to the side, which had been built _into_ the rocky crevice surrounding the city. In the top window, a single candle glowed brightly.

_Aerith._

Had she decided to sleep there? Why would she go off by herself, especially since she was rapidly bonding with Tifa? Every time they had camped outside, Sephiroth could often hear the two of them whispering at night, stifling giggles as best as they could.

Suddenly, his ears picked up the sound of Aerith crying out in distress, which did indeed resonate from the building with the candle. Instantly alarmed, Sephiroth took off running and reached the crumbling structure in seconds. There was no door to burst through, and Sephiroth ran right inside, sprinting up the set of stairs which led to a bedroom in surprisingly good condition. To his right, there was a dresser and a large mirror, while against the wall, but away from the open window, was a large bed.

Twisting around violently under the covers was Aerith, pleading with an imaginary assailant. He instantly rushed over to her.

"No, please don't hurt Mama!" Aerith wailed, still asleep as she thrashed around. "Don't take her away! I'll be good, I'm sorry! It was an accident!"

"Aerith, wake up!" Sephiroth barked, grabbing her shoulder and shaking her awake.

Aerith instantly lurched forward, grabbing Sephiroth's hand and chomping down on it as hard as she could.

Sephiroth's eyes widened in surprise. The bite barely fazed him, but he was shocked to see her revert to such an old coping mechanism. She had stopped biting people after their escape, and had done so without any issue. Had she gone back to that part of her memories due to her telling the others about her childhood trauma?

The demi-Cetra opened her eyes, and then let out a squeak of surprise as she finally realized what she was doing. Immediately, she opened her mouth, letting go of Sephiroth's hand.

"It's all right…" he reassured her, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "You were dreaming."

"I'm so sorry!" she immediately exclaimed.

"Don't worry," Sephiroth reassured her as he massaged his hand, "My hands are like your trees and plants: resilient. What about you? Why are you sleeping all alone on the city's upper level?"

"I needed a chance to think…" Aerith explained as she looked around, still a little bewildered. "But I wanted to be by myself."

"I understand," Sephiroth told her, "I just came back from meditating at the lake."

He didn't bother telling her it had all been in vain.

"I guess we both needed to be alone," Aerith said, grabbing a packet of tissues from the nightstand near her bed and wiping away her sweat.

"That was quite the nightmare you were having." Sephiroth told her as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Oh…" Aerith said shakily. She tried to force a smile. "No, that was just a dream…it can't…" She trailed off, looking away so that Sephiroth wouldn't see how unnerved she truly was. "It can't hurt me…"

"Aerith, it's all right," Sephiroth said gently, "I'm just sorry that I didn't realize how badly that memory still hurts you."

Aerith then closed her eyes, visibly pained. "How could you?" she asked quietly. "I guess I buried it a long time ago. The worst thing I'd ever experienced…and now, I remember it as clear as day."

"I remember as well," Sephiroth told her, "I retaliated against Hojo by physically attacking him. Didn't you notice that Hojo's posture changed after that? From that day on, he hunched over when he walked. I was the one who caused it. The official story was that he had been in a car accident, but the Shinra personnel were no fools. They knew the true story. That's why nobody ever laid a hand on me again."

"You stood up for me like always," Aerith said as she briefly lifted her hand up, but then quickly put it back down. _I'm afraid to touch him…_she realized as her heart sank. _I'm afraid I'll drive him away again._

"I never attacked anybody like that," Sephiroth sighed, cringing at the thought, "I'd never been put in isolation like that…not since I was three. Most children would be terrified at how much trouble they would be in. I couldn't have cared less what Hojo, or the president thought. All I worried about was that your mother would be so disappointed in me. That was worse than any punishment I could envision."

"I'm sure she was more worried than anything…" Aerith said as she grabbed a pillow and hugged it closely to her chest. A pillow was better than nothing. "You also broke that one guy's arm…when he hit me. I didn't see you for days."

"I had a few experiences like that," Sephiroth admitted, "I had to talk about them with my superiors at the temple if I wanted any hope of moving past them. What you did today was admirable, sharing that horrible event with those SOLDIERs and the Turks. I don't think there's any doubt in their minds now that they did the right thing by defecting over to our side."

Aerith squeezed the pillow tighter, not seeming as though she had heard him. "I could have ended it in seconds with the wave of my hand. Even when I was little, I could heal my own bumps and bruises…it's just that I always wanted my Mama to do it for me."

"It's comforting for a small child, I suppose," Sephiroth told her.

"…But the 'mean man' kept saying he'd take her away if I didn't leave that burn alone…" Aerith whispered as if she were a small child again. Immediately, she leaned forward, burying her head into her pillow. "She always made sure no one hit me…sometimes, she'd hit back…and then they'd hurt her instead…I was bad, and they'd hurt her…!" She began to sob. "I didn't mean to be bad…! Every time I was bad, they hurt her because she protected me! I didn't mean it, Mama! _I_ was the bad one! Why didn't they leave you alone?!"

"Come here…" Sephiroth said softly as he pulled the distraught girl closer to him, letting her cry in his arms. "You weren't 'bad', Aerith. Don't ever think that. You were a child, and children are clumsy. They're blunt, impulsive, and for some reason, that angers many adults. _They_ were the bad ones...not you, and not me."

"Sometimes…" Aerith wept, "…when I have nightmares about those days, I get so angry! I don't wish harm on people, but whenever I see Hojo in those dreams…I always remember how he was the 'mean man' who burned me, and put my mother in that tank. And I want him to pay for what he's done! Sometimes…I have nightmares that the kids are in the tanks as well…and that's the worst!"

"Of course it is," Sephiroth whispered gently, "You would never want anything bad to happen to your siblings."

"Gabe is the same age now that I was when Hojo burned me." Aerith's voice was strained. She dropped the pillow and immediately clung to Sephiroth. "In my dream, I could still feel how much it hurt!"

"It's over," Sephiroth reassured her, "Gabe is going to be just fine. After all, he's very much like you: happy, gentle, curious…maybe a little stubborn, but in a good way."

Aerith continued to hold on to Sephiroth, letting out all of the pain she had buried over the past twelve years. Sephiroth held her close, stroking her hair, having managed to keep his hormones under control. He let out a heavy sigh, wondering if either of them would ever truly heal. Would the nightmares ever stop? The hidden fears? The nighttime breakdowns?

Finally, Aerith managed to stop crying. Sephiroth glanced down and noticed that she was slowly starting to nod off. "You should get some sleep," he whispered at last. He moved to set her back down as he tried to get up.

At that, Aerith was fully awake again, and clung to him even tighter. "No, please don't leave me," she gulped, "I…I don't want to be alone after all."

"…All right." Sephiroth used one hand to take off his boots. Then he moved toward the middle of the bed, leaning against the headboard. Aerith rested her head against his shoulder, one arm snaking around his chest. Slowly, his hand came to rest on top of her head. "I don't want to leave you, anyhow," he admitted, continuing to stroke her hair.

Aerith turned her head to look at him. "Seph…?"

"I'm sorry…" Sephiroth whispered, "…about the other day. You and I…we've had an amazing bond for seventeen years now. I always want us to be close, no matter what."

"_You_ were the one who said…" Aerith looked briefly uncomfortable, but forced herself to say it: "…that you...wanted me."

"Forget I ever said that…" Sephiroth urged her, angry at himself for having let that slip.

"Why…?" Aerith asked, "It's obvious you don't really want to forget it…why do you want _me _to?"

"It's for the best," Sephiroth answered, "Your mission-,"

"-Won't last forever," Aerith cut him off. "And after that? After Genesis is healed? I'll probably get another mission, and you said you'd make sure I was safe. I don't want things to be all awkward and weird between us, so we might as well deal with what's going on now."

Sephiroth said nothing, despite knowing that she was right.

"Seph…you're the only one aside from my immediate relatives who knows what it's like to feel…well…to feel alone…out of place. We're human hybrids…neither one, nor the other…"

"You still have your brothers and sister," Sephiroth reminded her.

"They're not here," said Aerith, "I'm on my own now. I go off to meditate, and no one really understands why I need to do that…except for you, and Elfé to a certain degree. Well, she _has_ to accept it. She's the one leading us all. But it's a tactical understanding. For you, though, meditation is a way of life."

"It is," Sephiroth agreed.

"I'm beginning to understand something: whenever I'm with you…I never, not for one minute, feel alone. I never have, and I never will…so long as you're there."

Sephiroth said nothing, but silently agreed with her. He had always felt the same way when he was with her. Ifalna may have been the one to coax him out of his shell, but Aerith was the one who made him able to relax and truly enjoy himself. When she had told him about her vision of her dying, he had actually experienced a brief sense of panic at the mere thought of losing her forever. He knew for certain he would lay down his life for her if it came down to it.

"Is it because of my age?" Aerith pressed, "Is eight years really that large of a gap?"

Sephiroth let out a heavy sigh, trying to process his thoughts and feelings. It was hard enough to do so while traveling constantly, but for the object of his questionable fantasies to be laying right next to him, demanding answers…

"Mom wasn't that much older than me when she fell in love with my father," Aerith reminded him. "He wasn't that much older than you, either."

"Everything's happened so quickly," Sephiroth blurted suddenly. "I thought my life was simple…even complete, until Genesis got sick. I had a home, a community, friends, and a family of sorts when it came to you and your mother. She gave me an idea of what it was like to have a mother. And you…well, it was like I had a little sister. Then I got to see your younger siblings arrive. I was even with you when the twins came. Two visits in one year."

"You were the best big brother any girl could ask for," Aerith said affectionately as she reached up and gave his shoulder a brief squeeze.

"Whatever these…feelings between us are, they've crossed a boundary," Sephiroth went on, "We're no longer in sibling territory. You still mean so much to me, though..."

As he spoke, he found himself recalling those first couple years of his blossoming friendship with the two Cetra. Even Ifalna's early attempts at physical contact resulted in Sephiroth looking as if he were in pain. Still, he found himself _wanting_ to be able to return her embraces…even to rest his head in her lap and fall asleep like Aerith often did when she was small. Still, he held back from such things, as if afraid of some unknown consequences. But since the first time he held Aerith as a baby, not once did he ever feel any discomfort.

How sadly ironic that touching Aerith now was causing him so much confusion.

"We should probably figure this all out," she murmured against Sephiroth's chest. She then looked up at him. "Now that we're waiting for the planet to speak, we have the time."

"You're probably right," he sighed. God, but he was so uneasy right now.

"What's on your mind?" she asked him.

Sephiroth looked at Aerith. "Honestly…it sounds strange, but I actually envied you for so long. I honestly thought you had come out nearly unscathed after all we went through. You still retained so much innocence when we escaped."

"I wasn't unaffected," Aerith said as her hand slid up Sephiroth's shoulder. "For a good year, I used to tense up any time I accidentally walked into a grown-up, no matter how many times Mom said nobody would hit or shove me for doing something by accident. You even saw it happen a few times. Also, I don't even use the changing room at ANSMA…because I didn't want people to start asking me about my scar. You saw me today…I fell apart when I told everybody."

She pressed her face against his shirt, and he felt it dampen slightly. Aerith then turned her head away, mumbling a quick apology.

"I assumed you were too young to have any lasting damage…" Sephiroth admitted as Aerith wiped her eyes, "The truth is, I had thought you had forgotten that day. You were so young when it happened."

"I never forgot that day," Aerith said quietly, "It's my earliest memory."

Sephiroth grimaced. "That's a horrible first memory to have. I'm so sorry. I didn't realize that this positive attitude you have is in spite of everything that happened."

Aerith frowned. "It's not 'in spite' of anything. I honestly try to see the bright side to things, because in the end, there _was_ a bright side…the life I'd led since then…plus, there was you. The first five years were hell, that much is true. But I've got twelve years' worth of wonderful memories in Cosmo Canyon. My personality isn't a coping mechanism, Seph. I'm the way I am…just because." She let out a sigh, smiling ironically. "Maybe that _does_ make me naïve."

"I didn't mean to imply it was a coping mechanism, and you're not naïve. It's just…I could never see things with that positive spin that you always do. Sometimes…I even feel a little jealous. Life seems so care-free for you." Sephiroth slowly dared to brush a few strands of Aerith's hair out of her eyes before he continued to speak: "Even with the planet telling you to seek out the secrets of your people, with only a vague guidance, you still have time to smile and enjoy yourself."

"What else is there for me to do?" Aerith asked, "Sulk?"

Sephiroth began to move away from Aerith, causing her to make a small noise of protest.

"I'm just getting the blanket," he reassured her. He reached over and grabbed the blanket that had been tossed back during Aerith's nightmare, and pulled it over her shoulders.

Aerith closed her eyes and snuggled closer to Sephiroth. His mind began to act up, thinking how easily he could just pin her down and end his suffering. He kept still, however, knowing better than to act like an animal. It was another several minutes before Aerith's grip relaxed, and he tried to slide away from her. She had not fallen asleep, though, and made another sound of protest as she opened one eye.

Sephiroth sat back down. This was becoming painful. He would have liked to lie down on his side and cradle her in his arms, but she would have inevitably pressed up against him and discovered the physical evidence of his feelings towards her.

"Why do I feel so safe with you…?" she asked. The question seemed rhetorical.

Sephiroth couldn't help but answer with a rhetorical question of his own: "Why do I feel so dangerous with you?"

Aerith opened her other eye, and stared at him. Then, without warning, she leaned in and kissed him directly on the lips. Sephiroth closed his eyes, and then suddenly rolled over until he was on his hands and knees above her.

Aerith looked up at him, startled.

"Do you have _any_ idea what this is doing to me...?" he asked, his voice strained.

"Probably the same thing it's doing to me," Aerith answered meaningfully.

To hell with it. He decided to be completely open with her.

"The things I envision myself doing with you…" he said, his voice hoarse, "…are so wrong…"

"Why?" Aerith asked, "Do you suddenly want to hurt me now?"

"No!" Sephiroth exclaimed instantly. He shook his head. "I…no…never! But I never thought you'd end up being…" he trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Good Gaia…how had the infant he had met almost a lifetime ago turn into a source of such torment?

"I sense all this chaos coming from you right now…" Aerith whispered as her hand reached for his face, pressing her palm against his cheek.

Sephiroth instantly grabbed her hand and pulled it away, but did not let go. Aerith's eyes widened in surprise, but she showed no signs of fear.

"You're not afraid…?" the swordsman asked.

"Afraid of what…?" Aerith asked, baffled, "You haven't hurt me. All of these little things that have happened between us…it feels like that's how it should be. I'm glad you were my first kiss."

Sephiroth's eyes widened in surprise, and a hint of alarm that he had already started to peel back her layers of innocence. He let go of her and rolled over. "Your first kiss? But you're already seventeen."

"It's not a race…" Aerith said defensively as she looked away. "Anyway…one guy _tried_ to kiss me when I was fifteen. He wasn't a bad kid per se, but I didn't want it, and he was so presumptuous…so I put him in an arm-bar." An amused look crossed her face. "I think the other guys have been too afraid to try anything with me since then. Word gets around quickly in Cosmo Canyon."

"I see…" Sephiroth mused, wishing he had gotten the chance to see that incident. Aerith putting some fresh youth in a painful hold like that? The thought almost made him smile.

"Why? How old were you when you first kissed somebody?" Aerith asked.

"Fifteen…" Sephiroth sighed before finally adding: "…on a dare."

"A dare?!" Aerith laughed, "That's so unlike you!"

"It was a block party, and some people our age went off to play 'truth or dare' in the field. When I first made friends with those two, I decided I was going to try doing all the things I'd see teenagers doing on TV. That was 'normal' to me, and normal was what I was striving for at the time.

"Genesis dared me to kiss a girl…he picked the most unattractive one, and whispered to me that I'd be doing her a favor…that she'd remember me for the rest of her life. She was also moving away soon, so he decided I should give her something to remember Mideel by. Sadly, she remembered all too well. According to Angeal, she never stopped pestering them for my contact information until she left for Bone Village."

Tears fell from Aerith's eyes again, only this time it was due to laughter.

"Did…" Aerith broke off giggling some more, and then managed to continue speaking: "Did you see her when I was shopping with Tifa?"

"No, thank the summons above," Sephiroth muttered. He then smiled wickedly. "I got him back with a dare of my own. I dared him to rip a page out of his copy of 'Loveless'…and he did."

"He was into 'Loveless' even back then?" Aerith was surprised.

"Yes. It was the only time I ever saw him about to cry in public. He bought a new edition of the book the next day and buried the old one."

"Awww…poor Genesis!" Aerith giggled, wiping her eyes.

"Poor Genesis? You didn't see that girl. Angeal basically advised me not to come back to Banora until she was gone two weeks later…she was _that_ obsessed with me."

Aerith's laughing eventually subsided. She moved closer to Sephiroth again, pressing her body up against the side of his.

"I don't think Mom ever told _you_ about this, because it's…kind of a personal thing," Aerith said nervously. "She told me enough of it, though…to prepare me. She'll tell Carlie, and she's instructed Daddy to give the 'manly' version of this talk to Cassius and Gabe when they're older…"

"Go on," Sephiroth urged her, intrigued.

"You see…romance for a Cetra is different than for a human. A human often has to test the waters…many, many times. Sometimes they can never settle. Us…well…we _know_ when it's right. We have a higher sense of awareness. Mom says she knew it with my father…and with Daddy. She called it the 'Awakening', for lack of a better word. Intuition…emotional and sexual intuition. I don't like to give it too much thought as far as my parents go…because that's kinda icky." She closed her eyes and grimaced at the thought. "But it was her time...both of the times she fell in love."

"What are you getting at?" Sephiroth asked.

Aerith opened her eyes again, staring into Sephiroth's eyes. "It's _my_ time now," she told him softly.

The swordsman froze, not daring to move a muscle.

"You've awakened me, Sephiroth," she continued.

Sephiroth briefly found himself unable to breathe as he lay perfectly still. "You're playing with fire…" he managed to whisper back as his eyes bore into her.

"Are you actually worried you'll burn me?" Aerith asked evenly as she placed her hand on his. "Maybe this is the kind of burn I _want_ to feel…" She glanced briefly downwards, at the spot where her scar was.

"You were scared last time," Sephiroth reminded her.

"I was…surprised," Aerith explained, "It was so sudden. Now we're actually talking about this. I'll be okay…I mean, if we can go slowly…"

"Is it really in our best interests for this to happen?" he asked.

"Is it really so wrong?" she countered, "I already told you how I feel about you, Seph."

Of course. She was never so easily rattled by the unknown.

"Ah…sweet Aerith…" His voice was hoarse with desire as he allowed himself to run his hand gently through her hair. "…You speak of burning, do you? Who knows what kind of inferno a few little embers might ignite?"

"I can't go back to how it was before, Sephiroth," Aerith pleaded as she moved closer to him, "I need you…please…" She placed her hands on his shoulder, pressing the side of her face into his chest. "…Don't turn me away. Too many people go their entire lives without finding love." She found herself blinking back tears before finishing: "...Don't deny us both the chance to be happy."

Sephiroth's right hand trembled as it slipped into her left, their fingers interlacing. Aerith then looked up at him hopefully. Their eyes remaining fixated on one another, he suddenly rolled over again, pressing Aerith against the mattress again.

Aerith's free hand reached up and touched the side of Sephiroth's face one more time. That only served to excite him further, and he quickly pinned her hand to the bed. He smiled inwardly as he felt her pulse racing in her wrist. Was she excited? Frightened after all? More importantly, the dark part of his mind asked him, why did the difference between the two ultimately not matter to him?

Sephiroth raked his hair back with his fingers, but it quickly fell into his eyes again. Annoyed, sat up and reached into his cargo pocket, pulling out a black bandanna he normally used to wipe away blood or sweat. He had just washed it that day, and quickly used it to tie his hair back, keeping it out of the way.

"Good idea." Aerith sat up and reached for her ribbon on the dresser near the bed, and quickly tied her long hair back as well, before laying down again.

Sephiroth stared at her for a moment, then leaned in and whispered in her ear:

"Don't say I didn't warn you…"

Defiantly, Aerith managed to kiss him again, firing him up once more. This time, he allowed the kiss to happen. Soon, he began to deepen the kiss, and Aerith now found herself struggling to keep up.

Sephiroth's conscience was now screaming at him to stop this madness. But, for the first time since he arrived in Cosmo Canyon, he began to ignore it, deciding that he enjoyed this so much more…

* * *

For a few minutes afterward, they lay together in each others arms, enjoying the feeling of bare skin on bare skin, but also silently processing what they had just done together. They hadn't completely consummated their feelings...yet. Aerith was still technically a virgin, but it didn't matter. Each of them knew that a line had been crossed, and there was no turning back now.

Sephiroth thought for a moment that Aerith had finally fallen asleep. He was about to close his eyes and do the same, when he heard her voice gently breaking the silence:

"Seph…?"

"Hmm…?"

"Will you stay here with me tomorrow night as well?"

"How could I possibly stay away now?"

She giggled. "I'm glad to hear you say that."

Sephiroth pulled the covers over the both of them. "Will you be able to sleep now?"

"If I have another nightmare after…_this_…then there's something wrong with me."

"There's nothing wrong with you. Let's try to get some rest, all right?"

"Mmm-hmm…"

"Nothing bad will happen…you're going to be just fine…" _And so am I…_he thought, relieved.

"I won't make you wait too long…" Aerith whispered sleepily in his ear, "I promise…I just…"

"It's not a problem. I assure you, tonight was quite satisfying. I'll wait until you're ready."

"I love you, Seph…" Aerith mumbled as she snuggled deeper against his chest.

"…I'll admit...I've fallen for you rather hard myself."

He felt her breathing slowing down within just a couple of minutes. Then, he relaxed, allowing himself to drift off as well, amidst one final thought:

_Go to hell, Jenova…_


End file.
